(California 


MARY  IN  CALIFORNIA 


THE    MACMILLAN   COMPANY 

NEW  YORK   •    BOSTON   •   CHICAGO   •    DALLAS 
ATLANTA   •   SAN  FRANCISCO 

MACMILLAN  &  CO.,  LIMITED 

LONDON   •    BOMBAY    •    CALCUTTA 
MELBOURNE 

THE  MACMILLAN  CO.  OP  CANADA,  LTO. 

TORONTO 


(From   painting   by    Mead    Schaeffer) 
MARY   AND  TRIX   IN   MUIR   WOODS 


MARY    IN    CALIFORNIA 


BY 

CONSTANCE   JOHNSON 

AUTHOR  OF  "MARY  IN  NEW  MEXICO,"  ETC. 


gotfc 
THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 

1922 

All  rights  reserved 


PRINTED  IN   THE  UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA 


0631  6  M 


COPYRIGHT,  1922, 
BY  THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY. 


Set  up  and  electrotyped.     Published  September,  1922. 


Press  of 

J.  J.  Little  &  Ives  Company 
New  York,  U.  S.  A. 


rccrcn:  Library 
7571 


To 
MARY  ABIGAIL, 

THE  MAINSTAY  OF  THE  FAMILY, 
WHOSE  FRIENDLY  CRITICISM,  AND 
NUMEROUS  ACTIVITIES  HAVE  BEEN 
THE  INSPIRATION  OF  THIS  BOOK 


INTRODUCTION 

To  try  to  tell  all  the  wonderful  things  of  Cali 
fornia  in  one  small  book  is  impossible.  There  is 
only  space  for  a  hop,  skip,  and  jump  sort  of  visit. 
The  author  hopes  that  she  will  make  other  young 
people  wish  to  follow  Mary  to  the  Golden  State  and 
learn  for  themselves  its  many  attractions,  even  if 
they  cannot  have  quite  all  the  adventures  that  came 
to  this  American  family  Robinson.  But  the  welcome 
of  the  Californians  will  be  there  in  good  measure. 

The  author  wishes  to  thank  all  the  good  friends 
who  helped  to  make  this  book  possible,  and  espe 
cially  those  at  Mills  College. 

Thanks  are  also  due  to  the  Pasadena  Star  News 
for  permission  to  use  a  photograph,  and  to  the  Na 
tional  Geographical  Society  for  several  pictures. 

Credit  is  due  to  the  following  books  and  their 
publishers : 

"The  House  of  the  Dawn,"  by  M.  E.  Ryan, 
published  by  McClurg  &  Co. 

"The  Flute  of  the  Gods,"  by  M.  E.  Ryan, 
published  by  Fred.  Stokes  &  Co. 

"First  Through  the  Grand  Canon,"  by  Major 
John  W.  Powell,  published  by  Macmillan  Co. 

"The  Indian  Book,"  by  Natalie  Curtis,  published 
by  Harper  &  Bros. 

vii 


viii  Introduction 

Special  permission  was  obtained  from  Miss 
Marian  Davis,  of  Mills  College,  for  the  use  of  her 
play,  "The  Matilija  Poppy,"  which  was  presented 
at  Mills  College,  and  is  protected  by  copyright. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.    A  Holdup — We  Meet  El  Lobo  Again      .  I 

II.     First  Sight  of  the  Grand  Canon — A  New 

Indian   Friend    .  .  .  .12 

III.  On  Donkey  Back  to  the  Bottom  of  the 

Canon     .  .  .  .  .29 

IV.  A  Forest  Fire  near  Los  Angeles     .  .        49 
V.     Los  Angeles           .             .             .  .65 

VI.     Smugglers  in  the  Channel  Islands  .  .         75 

VII.     Over  the  Trail   of  the  Padres  to   Mills 

College  .  .  .  .  .94 

VIII.     The  Ring  Causes  Excitement— We  Visit 

San  Francisco     .  .  .  .no 

IX.     The  Greek  Theater  at  Berkeley    .  .       127 

X.     The  Pacific  Fleet  Visits  San  Francisco      .       138 

XI.     The   Pageant          .  .  .  .150 

XII.     Tamalpais  and  Muir  Woods — Trix  Gets 

Lost        .....       158 

XIII.  We  Meet  El  Lobo  and  Have  an  Adventure 

at  Bolinas  ....       171 

XIV.  The  Road  from  Bolinas  and  an  Invitation 

to  a  Baseball  Game         .  .  .183 

XV.     From  the  Sequoias  to  the  "Resolute"         .       197 

XVI.     Navy  versus  Army — The  Last  of  the  Ring      210 

XVII.     Movies  and  an  Aeroplane  in  Los  Angeles  .       225 

XVIII.     A  Farewell  Gift  from  China        .  .       236 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

Mary  and  Trix  in  Muir  Woods     ....    Frontispiece 

FACING    PAGE 

The  mules'  heads  were  turned  toward  the  chasm    .      .  32 

The  pageant  at  Mills  College 33 

The  girls  use  it  for  swimming  and  picnics  and  fetes      .  106 

Great  cliffs  and  the  long  sandy  beach  below     .      .      .  107 

San  Francisco's  Golden  Gate 144 

Winter  sports  in  the  Yosemite 105 

Great  barges  of  symbolic  figures 236 

This  simply  can't  be  the  first  of  January    ....  237 


MARY  IN  CALIFORNIA 

CHAPTER  I 

A   HOLDUP — WE  MEET  EL  LOBO  AGAIN 

TTT'E  were  awakened  by  being  thrown  violently 
from  one  side  of  the  berth  to  the  other,  and 
by  the  sound  of  the  grinding  of  the  brakes  against 
the  wheels  and  the  abrupt  stopping  of  the  train.  In 
an  instant  the  night's  quiet  was  broken  by  eager  and 
alarmed  questions  from  the  rest  of  the  suddenly 
aroused  sleepers  as  to  what  had  happened.  Bells 
were  rung  for  the  porter  from  many  quarters.  But 
before  he  had  time  to  appear,  the  Doctor  peered 
between  the  curtains,  flash  light  in  hand,  and  asked 
if  Trix  and  I  were  all  right. 

Trix,  our  seven-year-old,  who  slept  with  me,  had 
only  half  awakened,  as  she  was  thrown  against  me 
rather  than  the  side  of  the  car.  I  saw  that  the 
Doctor  had  drawn  on  his  trousers  and  coat. 

"I  think  something  must  have  happened,"  'he 
said.  "If  you  are  not  hurt  I  will  go  forward.  Dave 
and  Mary  are  putting  on  some  clothes,  and  it  would 
be  well  for  you  to  do  so  too." 

The  bells  were  still  ringing  in  the  car,  and  we 
could  see  in  the  dim  light  disheveled  heads  and  half 


2  Mary  in  California 

clad  legs  and  arms  protruding  from  berths  as  the 
male  passengers  prepared  to  investigate.  At  that 
moment  the  porter  came  along.  He  was  greeted 
with  questions : 

"What  has  happened?" 

"Has  there  been  an  accident?" 

"Now  don't  you  folks  be  skeert.  Just  stay  in  the 
car  along  with  me,"  was  the  reply.  Which  would 
have  been  reassuring  if  the  man's  voice  had  not 
been  shaking  with  fear  and  his  eyes  fairly  popping 
out  of  his  head. 

"No,  I  ain't  seen  the  conductor,  but  I  know  it's 
all  right." 

"No,  I  cyan't  go  out  to  see.  It's  mah  duty  to  stick 
to  mah  car.  What  would  dey  say  to  me  if  I  left  mah 
car  in  the  middle  of  the  night,  boss?" 

There  was  considerable  grumbling,  but  many  of 
the  passengers  quieted  down,  though  still  talking 
together  in  low  tones.  Two  or  three  imperfectly 
dressed  men  issued  from  behind  the  curtained  berths 
and  stood  rather  foolishly  in  the  aisle.  The  porter 
started  to  go  to  the  back  of  the  car.  At  that 
moment  three  distinct  shots  were  heard  coming  from 
somewhere  toward  the  front  of  the  train.  Instantly 
an  uproar  broke  out  in  the  car,  and  amid  the 
confusion  the  porter  permanently  disappeared. 

At  the  same  moment  Mary  and  Dave,  the  rest 
of  our  family,  appeared,  dressed  and  full  of 
excitement. 

"Mother,  what  has  happened;  where  is  Dad; 
where  are  we?" 

Where  were  we  indeed?    The  only  thing  I  knew 


A  Holdup — We  Meet  El  Lobo  Again        3 

for  certain  was  that  we  were  on  the  train  running 
west  from  Santa  Fe,  and  that  our  husband  and 
father,  who  was  expected  to  lecture  at  Mills  College 
in  a  week,  had  left  us  in  the  night,  clad  in  shoes  and 
trousers  superimposed  on  pajamas,  heading  toward 
some  unknown  adventure  in  the  dark.  We  were  a 
peaceful  New  England  doctor's  family.  I  felt  as 
confused  as  a  Fifth  Reader  would  feel  if  Nick 
Carter,  detective,  suddenly  appeared  between  its 
covers. 

''Where's  Dad?"  repeated  fourteen-year-old 
Mary,  the  oldest  of  the  children,  her  gray  eyes 
black  with  excitement  and  her  bobbed  hair  flying  in 
all  directions.  "Has  he  gone  forward?" 

"I'm  going  too,"  added  Dave.  He  looked  quite 
fierce  in  the  dim  light,  his  red  unbrushed  hair 
standing  straight  up  on  his  head,  without  a  necktie, 
his  collar  unbuttoned,  and  his  shirt  tails  stuffed 
unceremoniously  into  his  trousers. 

Trix  was  wide  awake  by  this  time.  She  was  too 
excited  to  dress,  and  climbed  about  the  berth  in  her 
short  white  nightie  and  bare  feet. 

Two  more  shots  were  heard. 

"Mother,  we  must  go  and  see,"  cried  Mary. 

"Indeed  you  must  not,"  I  answered.  "It  might  be 
a  holdup.  The  trains  are  sometimes  cut  in  two, 
and  my  end  of  it  might  be  left  here  while  your  part 
went  on." 

I  slid  down  on  to  the  floor,  sufficiently  dressed  as 
I  thought,  to  be  greeted  with  laughter  by  the  two 
children. 

"Now,  Mother,  you  can't  be  a  rock  of  Gibraltar 


4  Mary  in  California 

with  your  hair  hanging  down  your  back  and  the 
canons  between  your  skirt  and  waist  only  half  hidden 
by  your  coat.  I  may  go — say  yes — of  course  I  can," 
and  Mary  started  down  the  aisle. 

I  grasped  Dave  by  the  arm.  "Your  father  would 
be  very  angry  if  you  went,  Dave,"  I  said. 

"But,  Mother,  he  told  us  always  to  stick  to 
gether,"  objected  Dave.  "Let  me  run  after  her. 
We  won't  go  far,  I  promise  you.  Please,  Mother" 
— and  without  waiting  for  an  answer  he  broke  from 
my  loosening  grasp  and  rushed  after  Mary.  Sev 
eral  men  had  gone  to  the  front  of  the  car,  and  I  felt 
sure  they  would  prevent  the  children  from  leaving 
it.  I  turned  my  attention  to  dressing  Trix,  who  since 
the  departure  of  Mary  and  Dave  had  decided  that 
she  wanted  to  have  her  clothes  on. 

All  sorts  of  vague  rumors  began  to  float  about. 
We  heard  that  the  train  had  gone  off  the  track,  that 
the  express  car  had  been  entered  by  bandits,  that 
we  would  all  be  robbed,  perhaps  murdered.  Trix 
was  enjoying  it  all  thoroughly. 

"Look  at  that  lady,  Mother,"  she  giggled.  "See, 
that  one — she's  holding  her  hair  in  her  hands — she 
hasn't  any  on  her  head.  And  oh,  Mother,  what  fat 
looking  legs  that  one  has." 

I  tried  my  best  to  subdue  her  interest  in  a  stout 
gentleman  with  a  hat  on  and  little  else.  He  was 
holding  a  set  of  false  teeth  in  his  hand.  A  young 
woman  with  gaily  painted  cheeks  kept  poking  her 
head  from  between  the  curtains  of  her  berth  and 
calling  for  the  porter,  while  a  gentle  elderly  lady 
repeated  over  and  over  again,  "Henry  cannot  stand 


A  Holdup — We  Meet  El  Lobo  Again        5 

excitement  unless  he  has  his  coffee.  Can't  I  get 
some  coffee  somewhere?" 

We  were  about  to  quiet  down  again  when  a  shot 
rang  out  close  by  and  a  bullet  whizzed  through  my 
window,  breaking  the  glass.  Instantly  shrieks  were 
heard  on  all  sides.  Trix  and  I  were  fortunately  jn 
the  corridor  of  the  car,  and  so  were  not  hurt.  But 
I  confess  to  feeling  strange  and  not  a  little  anxious. 
Then  came  the  sound  of  loud  voices  and  a  man  in 
uniform,  the  Pullman  conductor,  entered  the  car 
followed  by  a  little  troop  of  passengers. 

"Don't  be  alarmed,  ladies,"  he  said.  "There  has 
been  a  slight  accident — the  engine  ran  off  the  track 
and  a  gang  of  robbers  tried  to  hold  up  the  train,  but 
we  got  one  of  them  and  the  rest  are  gone.  So  you 
can  all  turn  in  again." 

"Is  any  one  hurt?"  asked  a  woman's  voice. 

"Yes,  the  bandit  we  captured.  No  one  else,  I  as 
sure  you.  He  is  being  attended  to  by  a  doctor.  Is 
every  one  all  right  here?" 

"Our  berth  is  full  of  broken  glass,"  I  said.  "A 
bullet  went  through  the  window." 

The  conductor  was  all  interest  in  a  moment.  "You 
are  sure  that  you  are  not  hurt,"  he  wanted  to  know. 
"Nothing  broken  except  the  window — nothing  in 
jured?" 

I  assured  him  that  all  was  well. 

"The  porter  must  make  your  berth  up  again. 
Where  is  the  porter,  anyway?" 

"He's  probably  in  the  linen  closet  praying  for 
Lady  Luck  to  help  him,"  suggested  Dave,  who  had 
joined  us  with  Mary. 


6  Mary  in  California 

The  conductor,  who  had  evidently  read  the  stories 
of  Lady  Luck  and  the  Mascot  Goat,  laughed  heart 
ily,  and  then  pressed  the  bell  button  several  times. 
Presently  the  porter  appeared.  He  was  looking  a 
little  untidy  and  soiled,  but  assured  the  conductor 
that  he  had  stuck  by  his  car. 

"I  wouldn't  leave  mah  car  and  mah  passengers, 
boss,"  he  repeated. 

The  conductor  told  him  to  make  up  the  berth 
again  and  be  quick  about  it. 

"Be  sure  and  let  me  know  if  anything  was  in 
jured,"  was  his  parting  word  to  me. 

Every  one  had  retired  by  this  time  behind  the  cur 
tains,  though  there  was  a  good  deal  of  more  or  less 
quiet  talking  going  on.  I  sent  Mary  and  Dave,  pro 
testing,  back  to  their  berths.  The  porter  kept  up  a 
steady  stream  of  words: 

"I  told  you  all  I  wouldn't  leave  mah  car.  I  always 
stick  by  mah  passengers." 

Trix  and  I  were  just  settling  down  to  rest  when 
the  Doctor  appeared.  Of  course  I  wanted  to  know 
all  the  details  at  once.  We  left  the  indignant  Trix 
in  her  berth  and  went  out  on  to  the  platform.  The 
door  of  the  vestibule  was  open,  and  we  could  look 
out  on  a  clear,  cold,  starry  night  amid  a  scene  of 
rocky  desolation.  Great  crags  seemed  to  surround 
us  on  all  sides,  wonderful  and  wild — the  mountains 
of  our  well  loved  New  Mexico. 

"It  really  has  been  an  exciting  night,"  said  the 
Doctor.  "The  bandits  had  tampered  with  the  rails, 
and  if  we  had  not  been  going  slow  around  the  curve 
we  might  all  have  gone  to  glory.  As  it  was  the 


A  Holdup — We  Meet  El  Lobo  Again        7 

engine  bumped  along  on  the  ties  and  stayed  right 
side  up,  until  brought  to  a  stop.  The  clerk  and  mes 
senger  on  the  express  car  opened  the  door  to  see 
what  was  going  on,  and  were  confronted  by  two  six- 
shooters.  But  the  messenger  is  a  husky  fellow,  over 
six  feet  and  strong  as  an  ox.  He  took  a  chance  and 
jumped  right  on  top  of  the  men  with  the  guns. 
There  was  some  excitement  for  a  few  minutes,  but 
of  course  the  pistol  shots  brought  the  train  crew 
running.  Two  of  the  bandits  escaped,  but  the  fellow 
the  messenger  had  landed  on  never  budged.  He  was 
squeezed  nearly  flat  and  had  a  bullet  in  his  arm  be 
side  from  his  friend's  revolver.  And  now  comes  the 
best  part  of  the  whole  story — who  do  you  think  the 
bandit  was?  Just  our  old  friend  El  Lobo,  from 
New  Mexico." 

"It  isn't  possible!" 

"Not  possible,  but  it  is,  just  the  same.  And  what 
do  you  think  he  had  strung  on  a  chain  about  his  neck? 
Nothing  less  than  Mary's  lost  Indian  ring." 

"Now  come,"  I  said,  "you  are  telling  me  the  plot 
of  a  movie." 

"I  am  not,  it  is  the  sure-enough  truth.  And  you 
ought  to  have  seen  the  ugly  look  he  gave  me  when  I 
claimed  the  ring." 

"Have  you  got  it?" 

"No,  they  would  not  let  me  have  it  till  I  could 
prove  my  claim.  We'll  let  Mary  tell  them  in  the 
morning." 

The  train  must  have  remained  stationary  for  a 
long  time — long  enough  for  a  wrecking  crew  and  a 
new  engine  to  arrive  and  start  us  going  again.  But 


8  Mary  in  California 

we  were  all  peacefully  sleeping  by  that  time.  When 
the  car  finally  awoke  the  next  morning  we  were  two 
hours  late,  and  traveling  along  the  high  plateaus  of 
Arizona.  Distant  mountains  rimmed  the  horizon 
and  great  white  clouds  rose  like  snow  peaks  in  the 
clear  blue  sky. 

Trix  and  I  were  later  than  the  others.  For  some 
time  before  I  fully  awoke  I  could  hear  as  in  a  dream 
a  steady  stream  of  words,  which  gradually  formed 
itself  into  a  narrative  in  Mary's  voice. 

"It  was  when  we  were  in  New  Mexico,  last  sum 
mer.  We  were  digging  in  an  Indian  mound  and  I 
found  an  Indian  ring  with  queer  figures  on  it — sort 
of  Chinese,  you  know.  The  Indians  didn't  want  me 
to  have  it.  They  stole  it  twice,  I  think,  and  stole 
me,  too.  Finally  we  sent  it  home  by  registered  mail, 
but  we  never  heard  of  it  again.  We  found  the  box 
that  we  had  sent  it  in,  though,  broken  open  in  a  cave 
where  some  loot  from  a  train  robbery  had  been 
taken.  And  it  was  the  same  man  who  held  up  the 
train  last  night !  El  Lobo,  they  called  him  in  Santa 
Fe.  He  must  have  taken  my  ring  from  the  mail  in 
the  other  train  and  have  kept  it  all  this  time.  Dad 
says  he  was  wearing  it  around  his  neck  last  night,  the 
ring — my  ring,  strung  on  a  long  silk  cord.  Isn't  it 
wonderful  to  think  I'll  get  it  back?  The  Indians 
have  all  sorts  of  legends  connected  with  it.  And  a 
man  who  knows  all  about  such  things  says  it  has 
Chinese  characters  on  it.  It  is  supposed  to  be  un 
lucky  to  wear  it — for  a  white  person,  you  know." 

I  stuck  my  head  out  from  between  the  curtains  and 
saw  that  Mary  was  sitting  with  a  gentleman  and  lady 


A  Holdup — We  Meet  El  Lobo  Again        9 

in  one  of  the  double  seats  which  had  been  put  in 
daytime  form  by  the  porter.  It  was  after  nine 
o'clock. 

"Well,  Mother,  are  you  awake  at  last?"  called 
Mary,  and  ran  over  to  kiss  me  good  morning. 
"Father  and  Dave  and  I  had  breakfast  a  long  time 
ago.  And,  oh,  Mother,  did  Dad  tell  you  about  find 
ing  my  ring  again,  and  El  Lobo?" 

Then  whispering  in  my  ear,  she  went  on :  "I  have 
been  talking  to  the  nicest  people !  They  live  in  Los 
Angeles,  and  hope  we'll  come  to  visit  them.  They 
haven't  any  children,  but  love  them.  He  was  in 
France  in  the  war  doing  Y.  M.  C.  A.  work.  He's 
just  coming  home  from  Germany,  and  she  went  over 
to  meet  him.  Their  name  is  Norton." 

"Wait  till  I  am  dressed  to  introduce  me,"  I  broke 
in  laughingly.  Trix  was  clamoring  for  help  behind 
me,  and  insisted  on  my  buttoning  her  up  at  once. 

"You  had  better  hurry  or  there  won't  be  any 
breakfast,  Mother,"  Mary  said  as  she  went  back  to 
her  friends. 

Fortunately  we  found  plenty  of  food  in  the  dining 
car,  also  David  and  the  Doctor,  who  were  still  eating 
griddle  cakes  and  discussing  the  adventure  of  the 
night  before.  El  Lobo,  the  captured  train  robber, 
had  been  quite  badly  hurt,  and  the  Doctor  had  been 
called  upon  earlier  in  the  morning  to  attend  him. 

"There  is  no  doubt  but  that  it  is  our  old  friend 
of  Santa  Fe.  He  was  part  Chinese,  you  remember, 
which  added  to  his  Mexican-Indian  ancestry  gives 
him  a  very  oriental  look.  There  is  equally  no  doubt 
that  he  had  around  his  neck  a  peculiar  Chinese  cord 


io  Mary  in  California 

which  carried  Mary's  Indian  ring.  I  think  we  can 
get  it  back.  But  seriously,  my  dear,  I  wonder  if  it 
would  not  be  better  to  leave  it  with  El  Lobo.  It 
sounds  absurd  and  like  a  dime  novel,  I  know.  But 
we  had  trouble  enough  with  the  thing  in  New  Mexico 
last  summer.  Perhaps  El  Lobo  has  as  much  right 
to  it  as  we  have." 

"Why,  Dad,"  exclaimed  Dave,  "Mary  found  it 
in  the  Indian  mound.  Of  course  it's  hers !  And  you 
wouldn't  let  an  old  train  robber  get  it  away  from  us. 
You  ought  to  be  ashamed  of  being  such  a  scare-cat." 

"Mary  will  want  it  back,"  observed  Trixy,  from 
the  bottom  of  a  bowl  of  cereal. 

Trix  was  right.  There  was  no  doubt  that  Mary 
wanted  it  back.  So  the  Doctor  put  in  a  claim  de 
scribing  the  ring,  and  how  it  had  been  lost  from  the 
registered  mail  six  months  ago,  in  New  Mexico. 
Mary  went  with  her  father  to  identify  the  ring,  and 
returned  feeling  a  little  uncomfortable. 

"Mother,  I  can't  imagine  why  I  thought  him  hand 
some,  when  we  saw  him  in  Santa  Fe.  He  is  dreadful 
looking.  They  took  the  ring  off  him,  but  if  he  hadn't 
been  so  badly  hurt  I  don't  believe  they  could  have. 
He  didn't  want  to  give  it  up  a  bit,  you  could  see 
that." 

"I  think  we  had  better  let  him  have  it,"  I  ob 
served,  looking  at  my  fourteen-year-old  daughter 
with  a  feeling  of  discomfort  and  almost  of  fore 
boding.  The  ring  had  cost  her  enough  danger  before. 
Why  should  she  be  mixed  up  in  some  old  oriental 
superstition? 

But  the  matter  was  taken  out  of  our  hands,  in  a 


A  Holdup — We  Meet  El  Lobo  Again      n 

way.  For  while  we  were  flying  over  the  plains  and 
approaching  Williams,  the  bandit  suffered  a  severe 
hemorrhage  and  was  removed  from  the  train. 
So  the  ring  was  given  us  by  the  conductor,  together 
with  the  cord  of  red  and  black  silk  which  had  held  it. 
We  were  late  in  arriving  in  the  little  town  of 
Williams,  and  the  train  for  the  Grand  Canon, 
whither  we  were  bound,  was  made  up  and  ready  to 
go.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Norton,  to  whom  Mary  had 
introduced  us,  were  also  planning  to  leave  the 
through  train  and  go  to  the  canon.  We  hurried  off 
with  our  bags,  leaving  our  trunks  to  go  on  without 
us.  We  had  only  time  to  snatch  some  sandwiches 
and  fruit  and  get  on  the  branch  train,  when  we  were 
off,  full  of  anticipation  and  excitement 


CHAPTER  II 

FIRST  SIGHT  OF  THE  GRAND  CANON — A  NEW  INDIAN 
FRIEND 

TJ7E  sat  on  the  steps  of  the  back  platform  of  the 
rear  car  and  got  our  first  glimpse  of  the  real 
cattle  country.  The  great  rolling  plain  stretched 
away  for  miles,  dotted  here  and  there  with  thickets, 
and  with  low  mountains  in  the  distance. 

Here  we  saw  the  first  prairie  dogs  of  the  trip. 
They  ran  in  and  out  of  the  brush  or  sat  on  their 
sandy  mound  houses,  with  forepaws  folded  over 
their  fat  stomachs.  Herds  of  red  cattle,  with  pleas 
ant  white  faces,  grazed  about  and  watched  the  train 
with  quiet  curiosity  as  we  passed. 

Once  when  the  train  stopped,  Dave  called  our  at 
tention  to  a  heap  of  skeletons  and  bones  near  the 
track. 

"What  are  they,  Daddy?1'  he  asked. 

"I  am  afraid  it  is  all  that  is  left  of  a  bunch  of 
cattle  that  probably  died  of  starvation  and  cold  last 


winter." 


"But,  Daddy,  how  terrible.  Couldn't  anything  be 
done  for  them?" 

"I  think  so,  and  Uncle  Sam  thinks  so,"  was  the 
answer.  "On  the  government  ranges  there  are  shel 
ters  and  the  herds  are  fed  and  watched  during  the 


12 


First  Sight  of  the  Grand  Canon  13 

winter  storms.  But  a  great  many  ranch  owners  do 
not  seem  to  care,  or  fail  to  realize  how  much  the 
poor  creatures  must  suffer  before  they  are  finally  re 
duced  to  the  heap  of  bones  you  see  here.  These 
men  claim  that  it  would  cost  too  much  to  care  for 
the  stock.  They  prefer  to  lose  a  number  each  year. 
But  even  if  it  were  not  so  cruel,  it  would  be  poor 
policy.  For  the  poor  survivors  are  in  bad  shape  to 
send  to  market  and  the  cows  are  often  too  weak  to 
have  healthy  calves,  so  that  the  herds  do  not  in 
crease  normally." 

"I  can't  bear  to  think  of  the  poor  things  wander 
ing  around  in  the  snow,"  said  Mary.  "Do  you  re 
member  that  dreadful  picture  of  the  sheep  all 
huddled  together,  lost  in  a  blizzard?  I  always  have 
hated  to  look  at  it.  I  suppose  cattle  would  be  just 
the  same.  Can't  the  ranchers  be  forced  to  do  some 
thing?" 

"I  think  conditions  are  improving.  Humane  so 
cieties  have  taken  up  the  cause,  and  the  government 
ranges  are  an  object  lesson.  Of  course  some  cattle 
will  stray  away  and  be  lost.  That  cannot  be  helped. 
It  must  have  been  the  same  in  their  wild  state  before 
men  assumed  responsibility  for  their  care.  The  ship 
ping  of  cattle,  too,  is  being  looked  after  more  than 
ever  before.  In  old  days  the  cattle  cars  that  took 
the  creatures  east  to  be  slaughtered  were  so  crowded 
that  many  of  the  animals  were  trampled  and  died  on 
the  way.  They  were  often  left  for  days  without 
food  or  water.  But  now  laws  have  been  passed  for 
the  protection  of  animals.  Of  course  thoughtless 
and  inhuman  shippers  break  the  law.  If  they  are 


14  Mary  in  California 

caught  they  can  be  punished,  but  it  takes  constant 
watching." 

"Sometimes  I  feel  like  never  eating  any  meat 
again,"  said  Mary  slowly. 

"I  think  we  all  do  when  we  stop  to  think,"  I 
remarked. 

"Would  you  like  to  be  a  Buddhist,  Mary?"  asked 
her  father.  "They  believe  that  they  must  not  take 
the  life  of  any  living  thing." 

"Not  even  flies  and  mosquitoes  and  ants  and 
spiders?"  Dave  demanded. 

"No  orthodox  Buddhist  will  kill  anything,"  re 
plied  the  Doctor. 

"Not  even  if  they  bit  him?"  said  Trix. 

"My  physiology  book  says  insects  are  more  dan 
gerous  and  kill  more  people  than  battles,"  remarked 
Dave. 

"I  wouldn't  like  to  be  a  Buddhist  to  that  extent, 
Dad,"  laughed  Mary. 

"Let's  go  in,"  suggested  the  Doctor.  "It's  a 
case  of  ashes  to  ashes,  dust  to  dust;  If  the  smoke 
doesn't  get  me,  the  cinders  must." 

"I  feel  as  black  as  the  ace  of  spades,"  I  responded. 

We  went  into  the  car  and  found  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Norton.  They,  like  ourselves,  were  to  visit  the 
Grand  Canon  for  the  first  time. 

"I  understand  that  there  is  nothing  like  it  any 
where  else  in  the  world,"  said  Mr.  Norton.  "Most 
mountains  you  look  up  to,  but  here  you  look  down 
on  the  tops  of  them.  You  plan  to  go  down  into  the 
canon,  do  you  not?" 

"Surely,"  we  replied  in  chorus. 


First  Sight  of  the  Grand  Canon  15 

"Did  you  bring  any  riding  togs?"  asked  Mrs. 
Norton.  "I  understand  no  one  is  allowed  to  go 
down  into  the  canon  in  skirts.  The  mules  have  a 
special  dislike  for  skirts  ever  since  a  very  fat  woman 
rode  down  in  them.  Her  donkey,  looking  around  in 
quiringly  on  feeling  the  heavy  weight,  mistook  her 
billowy  skirt  for  something  strange  and  dangerous. 
He  shied,  with  terrible  consequences." 

"What  happened?"  demanded  Dave  breathlessly. 

"Well,  I  don't  know  that  anything  happened,  but 
the  story  is  that  the  lady  went  over  the  bank.  A 
strong  wind  happened  to  be  blowing  and  it  filled  her 
skirt  like  a  balloon.  So  when  the  scared  mule 
reached  the  end  of  the  trail  at  breakneck  speed,  he 
found  the  lady  sitting  at  the  bottom,  breathless  and 
red  in  the  face,  but  quite  unhurt  by  her  marvelous 
descent.  The  mule  seemed  to  think  that  dangerous 
medicine,  as  our  Indian  friends  would  say,  was  some 
how  mixed  up  in  that  skirt  and  lady.  He  turned 
about  and  went  back  over  the  trail  alone.  Since  then, 
the  rule  is,  no  skirts  in  the  canon." 

"But  what  happened  to  the  fat  lady?"  asked  Trix, 
wide-eyed  with  amazement,  "and  is  it  true?" 

"Well,  I  haven't  heard  that  she  is  to  be  seen  at 
the  bottom,  nor  does  her  ghost  haunt  the  river,  so  I 
suppose  she  must  somehow  have  gotten  back  to  the 
top.  But  I  never  heard  that  part  of  the  story." 

"What  is  the  fashion  in  clothes?"  asked  the  Doc 
tor,  laughing. 

"I  have  heard  that  it  is  blue  denim  divided  skirts 
and  farmers'  hats,  becoming  to  the  young  and  slim," 
answered  Mr.  Norton. 


1 6  Mary  in  California 

There  were  some  audible  sighs  from  those  of  us 
who  were  not  slim. 

"I  wish  I  had  brought  my  riding  trousers,"  said 
Mary  sadly.  "I  hate  the  thought  of  denim  things." 

Not  long  after  this  the  train  rolled  into  the  canon 
station.  We  drove  up  a  short,  steep  slope  in  a  big 
bus  to  the  attractive  low  wooden  hotel. 

"Oh,  Mother,"  said  Trix,  "there's  a  house  like 
the  pueblo  at  Taos;  look  quick." 

"Why  quick?"  asked  Dave.  "It  won't  run 
away." 

I  looked  in  the  direction  toward  which  Trix 
pointed.  Sure  enough,  an  Indian  house,  of  the 
pueblo  type,  stood  within  sight  of  the  hotel.  It  was 
built  of  stone,  and  had  several  stories. 

"I  want  to  go  there,"  said  Trix. 

"Later,  mafiana,"  said  the  Doctor. 

We  wandered  through  the  big  hotel  living  rooms, 
built  attractively  of  dark  wood.  While  the  Doctor 
was  negotiating  for  accommodations  we  went  into 
a  side  parlor,  where  Mary  discovered  some  paintings, 
of  great  cliffs  and  vast  abysses,  of  strange  colors  and 
forms,  a  mixture  of  Egyptian  temple  and  rocky 
mountains. 

"Mother,  they  are  wonderful,  but  what  are  they, 
and  could  anything  be  like  that?  Could  there  be 
mountains  with  all  those  colors?" 

"It  doesn't  seem  possible,  but  we'll  wait  and  see," 
I  answered. 

Presently  the  Doctor  hailed  us.  "Let's  have  our 
first  view  of  the  canon  now,"  he  called.  "Then 
we'll  have  a  quick  wash  and  a  quick  supper  and  go 


First  Sight  of  the  Grand  Canon  17 

to  Sentinel  Place  for  the  sunset.  I  am  told  it  is  well 
worth  doing." 

"I  want  to  see  the  Indian  house,"  remarked  Trix. 

"You  shall  see  it  afterward,"  said  her  father. 

It  was  only  a  short  walk  from  the  hotel  and  tour 
ists,  and  commonplace  things.  Then  we  stood  look 
ing  breathlessly  over  the  stone  parapet  into  the 
great  canon. 

"There  is  nothing  else  like  it  on  earth" — the 
words  seemed  to  ring  in  my  head. 

"I  am  not  sure  whether  it's  heaven  or  the  other 
place,"  I  heard  the  Doctor  say,  half  under  his  breath. 

"Mother,  it  is  like  the  pictures  in  the  hotel,"  ex 
claimed  Mary.  "Those  great  things  down  there  are 
like  Egyptian  figures  and  pyramids — it  is  partly  the 
colors.  I  never  saw  anything  like  it." 

"No,  I  don't  suppose  any  of  us  have,"  I  answered. 

"How  far  across  is  it?  What  made  it?"  asked 
Dave. 

"The  Colorado  River  is  responsible,  under  God," 
replied  the  Doctor  gravely. 

"Mother,  I'm  scared,"  whispered  Trix,  and  hid 
her  head  against  me.  "Can't  I  go  to  the  Indian 
house?"  she  asked  in  a  very  small  voice. 

"I'll  go  with  her,"  said  Dave. 

"I'm  almost  afraid  to  trust  you  two  alone  here,"  I 
said.  "It's  absurd,  I  know,  but  Trix  is  so  small  and 
the  canon  so  huge." 

"My,  ain't  nature  grand,"  observed  Dave. 

"Oh,  run  along  and  keep  away  from  the  edge," 
said  the  Doctor.  "I'll  come  for  you  shortly.  We 
ought  to  get  back  to  supper." 


1 8  Mary  in  California 

I  watched  them  run  off  together  and  then  turned 
back  to  the  canon  lying  below  us,  so  immovable, 
brilliant. 

"How  deep  is  it,  Daddy ?"  asked  Mary. 

"Seven  miles  by  trail  and  eight  miles  across.  We 
don't  see  the  river  at  the  bottom  from  here,  they 
tell  me.  Just  look  across  at  the  flat  plain  on  the 
other  side.  Think  of  the  feelings  the  first  Indian 
must  have  had  who  galloped  across  the  plain  and 
came  suddenly  to  the  edge." 

"I  bet  he  prayed  to  the  Great  Spirit !  I  hope  it 
wasn't  at  night,"  responded  Mary  cheerfully. 

"Well,  I  suppose  we'd  better  go  back  to  the 
hotel,"  said  the  Doctor.  "We  can  go  by  way  of  the 
Hopi  Indian  house  and  pick  up  the  children.  I  de 
clare,"  he  added,  "I  don't  see  Trix  riding  down  the 
trail  to-morrow.  What  shall  we  do  with  her?" 

We  went  into  the  Indian  house,  which  was  much 
more  beautiful  inside  than  the  pueblo  in  New 
Mexico  had  been.  Skins  hung  on  the  walls,  and 
finely  woven  rugs  and  pottery  were  placed  about  to 
be  looked  at  and,  if  possible,  sold.  Trix  and  Dave 
were  talking  with  a  fine-looking  Indian  in  native 
costume. 

Trix  ran  to  us  immediately.  "Come  and  talk  to 
him.  He's  awfully  nice,"  she  whispered  quite 
audibly. 

"Does  he  talk  English?"  we  asked. 

"Yes,  indeed.  Do  come,  Mother.  He  has  a  boy 
just  my  age.  Can  I  go  and  see  him?  He  wants  me 
to." 

We  joined  Dave  and  his  new  friend. 


First  Sight  of  the  Grand  Canon  19 

"I  hope  the  children  have  not  bothered  you,"  I 
began. 

"No,  indeed,"  was  the  quiet  answer.  "They  are 
good  children.  The  little  girl  is  coming  to  see  my 
boy,  if  you  will  allow  it." 

"Are  you  a  Carlisle  graduate?"  asked  the  Doctor.. 

"No,  but  I  am  a  college  graduate.  A  real  Indian, 
too,"  he  added  in  response  to  a  disappointed  grunt 
from  Dave. 

"Would  you  like  to  know  my  Indian  name?" 

"Please  tell  us,"  cried  Trix. 

"It  is  Oh-we-tahuh — they  call  me  that  because  I 
have  made  little  paintings.  It  means  picture  writing. 
Before  I  went  to  college  they  called  me  Mo-wa-the, 
which  means  flash  of  light,  because  I  was  a  quick 


runner." 


"It  is  a  pretty  name — Mo-wa-the.  We'll  have  to 
call  Dave  that,"  I  said. 

"Now,  Mother,"  said  Dave.  While  the  Indian 
asked : 

"Is  he  a  good  runner?" 

"Aw,  nothing  much,"  answered  Dave  quickly. 

"How  do  you  happen  to  be  here  in  Indian  dress?" 
asked  Mary. 

"I  came  back  to  live  with  my  people;  and  be 
cause  I  could  not  live  away  from  the  canon.  But  I 
do  not  always  wear  the  dress.  My  boy  wears  an 
Indian  suit  made  by  Montgomery  Sears,"  he  added, 
looking  at  me  with  twinkling  eyes. 

"What  a  pity,"  I  murmured. 

"Are  you  going  down  into  the  canon  to-morrow?" 
asked  our  new  friend. 


2O  Mary  in  California 

"Sure,"  was  Dave's  quick  reply. 

"I  am  not  sure  about  the  little  one,"  observed 
the  Doctor. 

"She  can  stay  with  my  wife  and  boy,  if  you  will 
allow  it,"  said  the  Indian.  "We  live  not  far  from 
here  in  a  log  cabin.  Wouldn't  you  like  to?"  he 
added,  turning  to  Trix.  "They  will  tell  you  stories 
of  the  Hopis.  And  my  boy,  Tom,  will  make  you  a 
bow  and  arrows." 

"Mother,  Dad,  may  I?"  begged  Trix. 

"Don't  you  want  to  ride  down  into  the  canon?" 
I  asked. 

"I'd  rather  play  with  the  boy.  Has  he  been  down 
in  the  canon?" 

"Yes,"  answered  the  Indian.  "But  he  is  a  boy, 
and  has  always  lived  here.  It  is  a  hard  trip  for  a 
little  white  girl." 

"Suppose  we  think  it  over,"  suggested  the  Doctor. 
"We  ought  to  go  and  eat  supper  now.  It  is  very  kind 
of  you  to  offer.  I  will  come  in  this  evening,  if  I  may, 
and  discuss  it.  Will  you  be  here?" 

"Yes,  I  tell  the  people  who  come  to  see  the  dance 
about  some  of  the  customs  of  our  people.  I  will  be 
here." 

We  thanked  him,  and  went  over  to  the  hotel. 

Dinner  in  the  big  dining  room  was  very  welcome, 
as  every  one  was  hungry.  Trixy  could  not  read  most 
of  the  menu,  but  finally  found  ice  cream  and  was 
sure  she  wanted  that  for  supper. 

"Can't  I  have  just  that?"  she  pleaded.  "I  want 
to  go  back  to  the  Indian  house." 

"It's  almost  bedtime  now,  Trix,"  said  her  father. 


First  Sight  of  the  Grand  Canon  21 

"You  will  have  so  many  things  to  see  to-morrow  that 
you  will  have  to  turn  in  early.  Come,  eat  your  toast 
and  milk,  like  a  good  girl,  and  then  you  can  have 
the  ice  cream." 

We  met  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Norton  in  the  living  room 
after  supper. 

"Can't  Trix  stay  with  me  till  her  bedtime?"  she 
asked.  "I  am  not  going  out  again  to-night.  Chil 
dren  Trix's  age  do  not  as  a  rule  care  for  scenery." 

"Let  me  stay  too,  Mother,"  said  Dave.  "I'll 
look  after  Trix,  and  take  her  up  to  bed  at  the  right 
time,  too." 

"Well,  all  right,  you  can  stay.  Mrs.  Norton,  you 
certainly  are  more  than  kind.  I  am  afraid  you  don't 
know  how  much  you  have  undertaken.  Will  you  re 
mind  them  at  half  past  seven,  and  Trix,  will  you  go 
up  with  Dave  just  as  soon  as  Mrs.  Norton  tells 
you?" 

"I  want  to  go  to  the  Indian  house  and  see  the 
boy,"  responded  Trix. 

"Be  a  good  girl  to-night  and  you  can  go  to-morrow 
to  see  the  Indians." 

"Of  course  she'll  be  good  with  me,  won't  you, 
Trixy?"  asked  Dave. 

"She'll  be  good  after  you're  gone,"  suggested  Mrs. 
Norton. 

So  Mary,  the  Doctor,  and  I  hastened  away. 

The  sun  was  very  near  the  horizon  as  we  went 
along  the  road,  past  the  cottages  at  the  head  of 
the  trail  that  we  were  to  take  the  next  day,  and 
entered  the  grove  of  high  trees  that  cover  Sentinel 
Point. 


22  Mary  in  California 

"It's  a  race  with  the  sun,  Mother,"  laughed  Mary, 
and  she  ran  ahead  at  a  dogtrot. 

It  was  all  so  silent  and  mysterious  as  the  shadows 
of  the  evening  gathered.  We  reached  the  great 
stone  monument,  just  as  the  sun  disappeared. 

"I  feel  as  though  I  were  a  princess  in  a  fairy  tale, 
and  that  something  terrible  would  happen  if  I  didn't 
get  here  on  time,"  puffed  Mary.  "Maybe  I'll  turn 
into  a  swan  or  something.  But,  Mother,  just  look 
down." 

From  the  stone  base  of  the  monument  we  could 
look  into  what  seemed  a  bottomless  chasm,  full  of 
purple  and  blue  shadows,  with  here  and  there  a  glint 
of  bright  red  or  yellow  as  the  last  rays  of  the  sun 
fell  on  some  rocky  pinnacle. 

"Domes,  minarets,  and  towers — it  is  an  Indian 
city  or  an  Egyptian  temple,  made  for  some  of  the 
gods  of  the  heathen,"  said  the  Doctor. 

We  sat  for  a  while  at  the  edge  of  the  canon.  As 
the  shadows  deepened  it  seemed  almost  as  if  we 
would  be  drawn  down  into  the  dark  mystery  below. 
The  pine  trees  at  our  feet  stuck  out  over  endless 
depths.  The  soft  colors  of  the  rocks  turned  into 
dark  reds  and  blues  and  purples  in  the  gathering 
gloom. 

"It  can  never  be  more  wonderful  than  it  is  now. 
I  am  almost  regretting  going  down  to-morrow.  It 
seems  as  though  it  would  give  us  too  much  famili 
arity  with  this  great  marvel,"  I  said. 

"I  hadn't  any  idea  that  it  would  be  like  this," 
said  Mary.  "I  can't  quite  believe  it." 

It  was  almost  dark  before  we  rose  and  left  the 


First  Sight  of  the  Grand  Canon  23 

monument  which  would  have  seemed  massive  any 
where,  and  even  here  was  impressive  in  its  simplicity. 

uFather,  who  was  Major  Powell,  that  the  monu 
ment  is  to?"  asked  Mary,  as  we  started  back. 

"He  was  the  first  white  man  and  probably  the  first 
man  of  any  color  to  explore  the  Colorado  River 
through  the  canons.  I  saw  his  journal  somewhere 
in  the  hotel.  I  think  it  would  be  a  mighty  good 
thing  to  look  at  before  we  leave  here.  The  Indians 
warned  him  that  it  was  an  impossible  trip,  that  the 
river  ran  underground  in  some  places  and  that  all 
sorts  of  waterfalls  and  rapids  would  block  their  way. 
It  is  a  thrilling  story.  They  certainly  found  plenty 
of  adventures." 

"Can  we  go  to  the  Hopi  house  and  see  the  dance  ?" 
asked  Mary,  as  we  approached  the  hotel. 

"You  go  ahead  and  we'll  follow.  I  think  we 
ought  to  stop  and  see  how  Dave  and  Trix  have 
fared,"  I  answered. 

So  Mary  hurried  on  and  we  sought  the  hotel  and 
our  rooms.  Much  to  our  surprise,  these  proved  to 
be  empty.  Not  a  trace  could  be  found  of  either  of 
the  children,  the  beds  had  not  been  touched,  and  the 
floor  was  not  covered  with  the  usual  odds  and  ends 
of  Trix's  garments ;  a  sure  sign  that  these  must  still 
be  on  her  small  person  somewhere  else. 

"Where  can  they  be?  Surely  nothing  can  have 
happened  to  them,"  I  said. 

"I  fancy  we  shall  find  them  at  the  Hopi  house," 
said  the  Doctor.  "If  you  remember,  that  was  the 
last  thing  Trix  was  saying  as  we  left.  She  wanted  to 
go  to  the  Indians." 


24  Mary  in  California 

"We  would  better  go  right  over  and  see,"  I  re 
plied.  And  over  we  went  as  fast  as  we  could. 

There  was  quite  a  crowd  of  people  in  the  two  big 
rooms,  and  in  the  center  were  three  Indians,  doing 
a  corn-husking  dance,  while  our  friend  of  the  fore 
noon  sang  the  corn  song.  We  saw  Mary  at  once, 
but  it  was  only  after  a  careful  search  that  we  dis 
covered  Trix  and  Dave,  with  a  small  Indian  boy, 
concealed  behind  a  little  crowd  of  onlookers. 

The  Doctor  routed  them  out.  uDave,  what  do 
you  mean?"  he  asked.  "Didn't  you  know  you  were 
to  get  Trix  to  bed?  How  came  you  here?" 

"I  couldn't  do  anything  with  her,"  answered 
Dave.  "She  ran  away  and  I  thought  you  would 
rather  have  me  come  with  her.  I  knew  she  ought  not 
to  come." 

"Both  of  you  go  right  back  to  bed,"  said  the  Doc 
tor  sternly. 

"But,  Dad,  it  isn't  my  bedtime — " 

"Can't  we  see  the  end  of  the  dance?"  added  Trix. 

"No.  You  must  both  go  home.  I  see  you  are 
neither  of  you  to  be  trusted." 

"I  will  go  home  with  them,"  I  remarked. 

"We  had  better  interview  our  Indian  friend.  Trix 
must  not  go  down  into  the  canon.  She  is  not  old 
enough.  I  am  not  sure  that  Dave  is." 

"We'll  see  how  he  behaves  from  now  till  to 
morrow,"  added  the  Doctor. 

So  I  convoyed  my  two  erring  young  ones  to  the 
hotel  and  this  time  saw  them  safely  tucked  in.  Dave 
seemed  a  little  subdued  at  the  possibility  of  losing 
the  ride  on  the  morrow.  But  Trix  could  not  remain 


First  Sight  of  the  Grand  Canon  25 

depressed  for  long.  She  began  by  giving  a  lively 
imitation  of  the  Indian  dance,  singing  a  weird  tune 
of  her  own  which  closely  resembled  the  corn-grinding 
song  as  far  as  I  could  tell.  This  she  did  in  the 
costume  which  is  common  to  all  primitive  people, 
before  they  have  learned  from  somewhere  that  one 
must  wear  clothes  in  public. 

I  could  not  keep  from  laughing,  and  Trix  shrieked 
with  delight  and  started  to  run  into  the  hall.  But 
I  quickly  put  a  stop  to  this,  and  presently  I  left  her 
still  chanting  strange  words  in  the  darkness  from  the 
safety  of  her  bed. 

Mary  and  the  Doctor  came  back  in  great  excite 
ment  from  the  Hopi  house. 

"It  wasn't  so  much  the  dance,  but  our  Indian,  he 
was  simply  great,  Mother.  He  was  dressed  in  the 
most  beautiful  blankets.  And  after  the  song,  he 
told  us  about  his  people.  He  was  wonderful.  And 
he  is  going  to  take  Trix  to-morrow  and  he  has  a 
darling  little  boy." 

"Could  you  tell  your  mother  what  he  said?"  asked 
her  father. 

"Oh,  I  don't  know — not  as  he  told  it.  He  has 
such  a  beautiful  voice.  He  told  us  how  for  days 
before  a  wedding  the  bride  has  to  grind  corn  on  a 
stone.  She  sits  behind  a  blanket  and  sings  the  grind 
ing  song  and  makes  prayers.  And  then  when  the 
wedding  day  comes,  they  don't  have  a  priest  or  any 
thing,  but  the  bride  and  groom  sit  quietly  among 
their  relations.  And  then  he  puts  a  cloak  over  her 
shoulders  and  serves  her  out  of  a  dish,  and  they  both 
eat  out  of  the  same  dish  and  drink  out  of  the  same 


26  Mary  in  California 

cup.  It  means  that  they  will  always  share  things 
and  that  he  will  care  for  her.  The  man  has  to  work, 
too,  before  the  wedding.  He  has  to  work  in  her 
father's  fields  or  in  some  way  prove  his  friendship 
and  love. 

uHe  told  us  about  the  old  sign  of  his  people  which 
was  like  a  cross  and  meant  the  Father  Sun  and 
Mother  Moon  and  the  Morning  Star.  Morning 
Star  is  the  son  of  Mother  Moon.  He  is  in  the  sky 
when  she  goes  away,  and  he  calls  Father  Sun  to  come 
and  smile  on  the  Earth  for  people.  It  sounds  almost 
like  Christians,  doesn't  it,  Mother?  He  told  us 
another  legend. 

"  The  thing  I  tell  is  the  true  thing!'  he  said. 

"  'It  was  time  for  a  god  to  walk  on  the  earth,  and 
one  was  born  of  the  pinon  tree  and  a  virgin  who 
rested  under  the  shadow  of  its  arms.  The  girl  was 
very  poor,  and  her  people  were  very  poor;  when  the 
pinon  nut  fell  in  her  bosom,  and  the  winds  told  her 
a  son  was  sent  to  her  to  rest  beneath  her  heart,  she 
was  very  sad,  for  there  was  no  food. 

"  'But  wonderful  things  happened.  The  spirits 
of  the  mountain  brought  to  her  home  new  and 
strange  food,  and  seeds  to  plant  for  harvest: — new 
seeds  of  the  melon,  and  big  seed  of  the  corn : — before 
that  time  the  seeds  of  the  corn  were  little  seeds. 
When  the  child  was  born,  strange  things  happened, 
and  the  eagles  flew  high  above  till  the  sky  was  alive 
with  wings.  The  boy  was  very  poor,  and  so  much 
a  boy  of  dreams  that  he  was  the  one  to  be  laughed 
at  for  the  visions.  But  great  wise  thoughts  grew 
out  of  his  mountain  dreams,  and  he  was  so  great  a 
wizard  that  the  old  men  chose  him  for  Po-Ahtun-ho, 
which  means  Ruler  of  Things  from  the  Beginning. 
And  the  dreamer  who  had  been  born  of  the  maid 


First  Sight  of  the  Grand  Canon  27 

and  the  pinon  tree  was  the  Ruler.  He  governed 
even  the  boiling  water  from  the  heart  of  the  hills, 
and  taught  the  people  that  the  sickness  was  washed 
away  by  it.  His  wisdom  was  beyond.earth  wisdom, 
and  his  visions  were  true.  The  land  of  that  people 
became  a  great  land,  and  they  had  many  blue  stones 
and  shells.  It  then  was  that  they  became  proud. 
One  day  the  god  came  as  a  stranger  to  their  village — 
a  poor  stranger,  and  they  were  not  kind  to  him !  The 
proud  hearts  had  grown  to  be  hard  hearts,  and 
only  fine  strangers  would  they  talk  with.  He  went 
away  from  that  people  then.  He  said  hard  words 
to  them  and  went  away.  He  went  to  the  South  to 
live  in  a  great  home  in  the  sea.  When  he  comes 
back  they  do  not  know,  but  some  day  he  comes 
back, — or  some  night !  He  said  he  would  come  back 
to  the  land  when  the  stars  mark  the  time  when  they 
repent,  and  one  night  in  seven  the  fire  is  lit  on  the 
hills  by  the  villages,  that  the  earth-born  god,  Po-se- 
yemo,  may  see  it  if  he  should  come,  and  may  see  that 
his  people  are  faithful  and  are  waiting  for  him  to 
come. 

"  'Because  of  the  day  when  the  god  came,  and 
they  turned  him  away  for  that  his  robe  was  poor, 
and  his  feet  were  bare; — because  of  that  day,  no 
poor  person  is  turned  hungry  from  the  door  of  that 
people.  And  the  old  men  say  this  is  because  the  god 
may  come  any  day  from  the  South,  and  may  come 
again  as  a  poor  man.'  " 

"It  seems  as  though  somehow  those  Indians  must 
have  heard  about  Christ,  doesn't  it?  Perhaps  some 
missionaries  we  don't  know  about  told  them." 

"I  don't  think  so,  Mary,"  answered  the  Doctor. 
"But  most  religions  have  things  in  common.  And 
the  early  fathers  of  the  Christian  Church  borrowed 
a  lot  of  things  from  other  beliefs." 


28  Mary  in  California 

"Somehow  I  don't  like  that.  It  makes  it  seem 
less  true — " 

"What  less  true  ?  You  mean  Christianity?  Why, 
Mary,  don't  you  see,  it  makes  it  all  the  truer.  If 
God  has  sent  the  same  message  to  all  people,  why, 
we  surely  must  believe." 

"That  Indian  must  be  pretty  fine.  I  wish  I  could 
have  heard  him.  But  I  like  to  hear  it  from  you,  too, 
Mary,"  I  said.  "You  think  he  will  be  perfectly 
trustworthy,  and  that  Trix  will  be  all  right  ?  What 
did  he  say  about  that?" 

"He  said  his  little  boy  would  come  for  Trix  about 
seven-thirty — we  make  an  early  start.  He  will  have 
her  here  by  the  (time  we  get  back.  He  promises  to 
take  good  care  of  her  and  give  her  a  little  walk  down 
the  trail.  They  tell  me  at  the  hotel  that  he  is  a 
remarkably  fine  man  and  absolutely  to  be  trusted. 
Also  the  cow  puncher  who  is  to  escort  us  to-morrow 
does  not  encourage  the  going  down  of  youngsters. 
So  I  guess  this  is  the  only  solution." 

"Where  did  you  say  that  Powell  book  is?"  asked 
Mary. 

"It's  too  late  to-night,"  said  her  father.  "Go  to 
bed  now  and  we'll  take  Major  Powell  down  to  the 
bottom  of  the  canon  and  read  him  while  we  are 
resting.  Good  night,  everybody." 

"Oh,  Mother,  must  I  ?  I  am  not  a  bit  sleepy  or 
tired." 

"Good  night,  everybody,"  was  the  only  answer. 


CHAPTER  III 

ON  DONKEY  BACK  TO  THE  BOTTOM  OF  THE  CANON 

,  Mother,  Mother,  I  never  did  see  anything 
so  funny.  Oh,  I  am  so  glad  I  can  wear  my  gym 
bloomers.  You  must  look  at  yourself.  Where's 
Dad  and  Dave?"  Thus  Mary  exclaimed  on  seeing 
me  dressed  in  the  safe  and  comfortable  clothes  which 
the  hotel  provided  for  the  canon  trip.  If  only  they 
could  have  been  becoming,  too!  But  a  large  blue 
denim  divided  skirt  and  a  big  straw  hat  were  not 
the  things  I  would  have  chosen  to  wear.  I  envied 
Mary  her  trim  brown  bloomers  and  Dave  and  his 
father  their  trousers  and  gaiters. 

"Laugh  all  you  like,"  I  remarked.  "It  is  better 
to  make  people  laugh  than  cry.  Come  on — we  might 
as  well  get  started." 

"Mother's  in  a  hurry  to  show  off  her  beautiful 
riding  clothes,"  laughed  Mary. 

"Mother's  all  right,"  said  Dave  stoutly.  "She's 
just  as  pretty  as  she  can  be." 

So  with  this  to  comfort  me  we  went  out.  I  was 
glad  to  find  two  other  ladies  dressed  as  I  was.  Mrs. 
Norton,  however,  had  come  fully  prepared,  and 
wore  a  riding  suit  of  corduroy. 

We  all  went  over  to  the  paddock,  where  were 
assembled  the  most  wicked  looking  lot  of  mules 
that  I  have  ever  seen  together. 

A  cow  puncher,  dressed  as  a  cow  puncher  should, 

29 


30  Mary  in  California 

with  woolly  chaps,  brown  shirt,  red  kerchief,  and  a 
Stetson  hat,  awaited  us.  He  looked  us  over,  asked 
us  whether  we  were  accustomed  to  riding,  and  then 
selected  our  mounts.  There  was  one  large,  dark 
brown  creature  with  one  ear  up  and  one  down,  whose 
eye  had  a  particularly  bad  expression.  I  watched 
the  cow  puncher  lead  him  toward  me  and  wished 
that  I  was  not  so  heavy  and  could  have  had  a  small, 
gentle-looking  bay  mule.  But  it  was  not  to  be.  The 
Doctor  and  our  guide  came  to  my  assistance,  and 
before  I  knew  it,  I  was  hoisted  up  into  the  saddle 
of  the  largest  animal.  I  felt  as  though  I  were  on 
top  of  an  elephant. 

Then  we  started.  First  came  the  cow  puncher, 
then  Mary,  then  Mrs.  Norton,  then  I,  and  the 
others  trailed  behind.  Mr.  Norton  and  Dave 
brought  up  the  rear.  The  mules  were  inclined  to  be 
a  little  frisky  at  the  start,  and  playfully  kicked  their 
back  legs  and  bit  each  other.  But  the  guide,  Frank 
lin,  assured  us  that  they  would  behave  on  the  trail. 
I  hoped  he  was  right. 

As  we  rode  slowly  toward  the  cabins  at  the  head 
of  the  trail,  two  small  children  jumped  out  of  the 
bushes  with  a  war  whoop,  which  sent  our  mules  into 
hysterics.  It  was  Trix  and  her  young  Indian  friend. 

"Oh,  Mother,  can't  I  come  too  ?  I'd  love  to  ride 
on  one  of  those  donkeys.  Are  they  donkeys, 
Mother,  or  mules ?  Can't  I  come?" 

"Don't  speak  to  Mother.  She  can't  talk  and  ride 
too,"  called  out  Mary. 

"Good-by,  Trix,  be  ready  to  take  care  of  us  when 
we  come  back,"  said  the  Doctor. 


On  Donkey  Back  to  the  Bottom  of  the  Canon  31 

The  children  waved  good-by,  and  then  I  forgot 
them  and  everything  as  we  turned  into  the  trail. 

"Do  you  remember  going  down  into  the  Rio 
Grande  Canon?"  asked  Mary. 

"I  wish  I  were  there  now,"  I  murmured. 

"Well,  I  wouldn't  do  this  again  for  a  million 
dollars,"  said  Mrs.  Norton.  "And  they  say  it's 
much  worse  farther  down." 

We  seemed  to  be  slowly  descending  the  side  of  a 
house  on  a  path  just  wide  enough  for  one  mule  at  a 
time  and  with  no  parapet,  not  even  a  stone,  on  the 
side  toward  the  abyss — one  false  step ! 

"Don't  be  skeered,"  observed  Franklin.  "Those 
mules  don't  wanter  commit  suicide.  They'll  stay 
on  the  path.  Just  leave  'em  alone.  Don't  try  to 
guide  'em.  They  know  how  to  go  better'n  you  do. 
They've  been  down  oftener." 

"Thank  Heaven  I  am  not  a  mule,"  observed  some 
one. 

"Why,  Mother,  you're  not  scared,  are  you?" 
asked  Mary. 

"Scared?  I  never  was  so  scared  in  my  life.  All  I 
can  do  is  to  shut  my  eyes  and  hold  on  to  the  pommel 
of  my  saddle." 

"Same  here,"  said  Mrs.  Norton  cheerfully. 

Down,  down  went  the  mules,  and  down  went  we. 
After  a  while  I  trusted  myself  to  look  around.  Far 
below  us  wound  the  trail  like  a  thread.  We  could 
not  see  the  river  yet.  All  around  us  were  the  wild 
cliffs  and  mesa-shaped  mountains  of  the  canon  with 
their  gay  colors.  There  were  few  trees,  and  only 
patches  of  shrubbery. 


32  Mary  in  California 

We  saw  some  wild  burros,  or  donkeys,  climbing 
up  some  of  the  steepest  looking  precipices.  They 
watched  us  curiously  and  then  scampered  off.  Their 
color  was  so  much  like  the  gray  of  the  cliffs  that  it 
was  hard  to  see  them. 

Presently  Franklin  called  a  halt.  The  mules' 
heads  were  turned  toward  the  chasm  and  they  stood 
across  the  trail.  The  Doctor  walked  forward,  hav 
ing  persuaded  Mr.  Norton  to  guard  his  mule,  and 
joined  us. 

"How  do  you  like  it?"  he  asked.  "Getting  on  all 
right?" 

"Mother's  'frightened  out  of  her  wicks,'  as  Trix 
used  to  say,"  observed  Mary.  "I  think  it's  great. 
I  say —  Whoa,  where  do  you  think  you  are  going?" 
she  added,  as  her  mule,  tempted  by  a  bit  of  shrub 
bery  that  hung  over  the  edge,  started  after  it. 

"Aw,  he's  all  right,"  said  the  cow  puncher.  "He 
don't  want  to  tumble  and  kill  himself.  He  just 
wants  a  leaf  or  two  for  his  breakfast.  Hi,  get  back, 
you  sinner,"  he  addressed  the  mule.  "Hi,  Jack  you 
fiend,  get  back  where  you  belong.  Pull  him  back," — 
this  to  Mary. 

"Pull  him  back!  He's  got  a  mouth  like  iron.  I 
can't  budge  him.  Oh,  let  him  eat." 

Presently  Franklin  kicked  his  mule  and  started 
down  the  trail  again. 

"I  don't  know  why  I  stay  on  this  beast  and  don't 
roll  off.  I  feel  myself  swaying  from  side  to  side," 
observed  Mrs.  Norton. 

"My  mule  is  wider  than  the  span  of  a  bridge. 


THE    MULES     HEADS    WERE    TURNED   TOWARD   THE    CHASM 
(Photo   from    Kolb   Brothers) 


See  p.  154 


THE   PAGEANT   AT    MILLS    COLLEGE 


On  Donkey  Back  to  the  Bottom  of  the  Canon  33 

My  legs  seem  to  stick  out  straight  in  the  air,"  I 
replied. 

"Well,  we  can  live  till  we  reach  the  first  level  rest 
ing  space,  anyway,"  said  Mrs.  Norton.  uWe  can 
stay  there  if  we  want  to." 

uDo  you  want  to?"  asked  Mary. 

"I  wouldn't  think  of  it,"  was  the  chorus. 
"Imagine  going  halfway  down  and  then  stopping." 

Presently  we  came  to  a  grassy  level  place,  with 
some  ruined  shacks  on  it.  Here  every  one  dis 
mounted,  some  gracefully  and  some  with  consider 
able  help  from  Franklin.  Those  who  were  accus 
tomed  to  riding  walked  about,  but  Mrs.  Norton  and 
I  stretched  out  on  the  ground. 

"Will  you  ever  be  able  to  get  up  again?"  mur 
mured  Mrs.  Norton. 

"I  would  prefer  a  feather  bed,"  I  replied. 

Presently  the  party  started  again.  And  now  the 
canon  grew  wilder  and  more  wonderful.  Looking 
upward,  the  great  cliffs  towered  above  us,  immeas 
urably  high,  while  the  depths  below  seemed  just  as 
overpowering. 

"I  simply  won't  ride  down  that  next  bend,"  said 
Mrs.  Norton  firmly.  "It's  impossibly  steep  and 
there's  no  safe  side.  The  trail  is  like  a  bridge." 

"Oh,  Mother,"  called  Mary,  "Mr.  Franklin  says 
this  is  the  Devil's  Corkscrew,  and  we've  all  got  to 
get  off." 

"You  see,  I  was  right,"  observed  Mrs.  Norton. 
"It  couldn't  be  done." 

"Mr.  Franklin  says  to  hang  on  to  your  mules.    If 


34  Mary  in  California 

you  let  go  they  are  likely  to  go  home  alone,'1  said 
Mary. 

"Bad  'cess  to  them,  I  wish  they  would,"  mur 
mured  Mrs.  Norton. 

"But  you  wouldn't  want  to  walk  up  all  the  way, 
would  you?"  asked  Mary.  "I  asked  Mr.  Franklin 
about  the  fat  woman  in  skirts  who  blew  down,  Mrs. 
Norton.  He  said  he  never  heard  of  her.  But  he 
said  there  was  a  man  who  tried  to  make  his  mule 
take  a  short  cut.  It  was  like  a  tug  of  war  'cause  the 
mule  wouldn't  budge.  Finally  the  bridle  broke 
and  the  man  tumbled  down  the  cliff  and  broke  his 
arm.  Mr.  Franklin  says  the  mules  have  lots  of 


sense." 


We  passed  a  stream  near  the  bottom,  and  then  the 
trail  broke  through  a  barrier  of  rocks  and  there  was 
the  Colorado  River,  brown  and  turbulent,  and  flow 
ing  with  a  mighty  current  between  sandy  shores  and 
high  crags. 

"And  to  think  that  is  what  made  it  all,"  said  Mr. 
Norton,  who  had  joined  us. 

"A  thousand  years  here  are  truly  but  as  yesterday. 
A  river  is  a  wonderful  thing,  Mary.  No  nation, 
however  great,  could  have  made  this  canon,  and  yet 
that  muddy  stream  did  it  all." 

"Could  one  swim  across?"  asked  Mary.  "It's  not 
very  wide — " 

"Do  you  remember  trying  to  swim  in  the  Rio 
Grande?"  remarked  the  Doctor. 

"Well,  I  guess  I  do.  We  just  hung  on  to  the 
rocks  for  dear  life." 

"This  has  a  much  stronger  current.     Come,  let's 


On  Donkey  Back  to  the  Bottom  of  the  Canon   35 

sit  down  and  while  we  eat  our  lunch,  let  me  read  you 
a  bit  from  Major  Powell's  adventures." 

"Can't  we  explore  a  little  first?"  asked  Dave. 

"No,  we'll  read  and  rest  and  eat  and  then  ex 
plore,"  was  the  answer  as  his  father  took  a  small 
volume  from  his  pocket. 

"Major  Powell,"  he  began,  "started  with  nine 
men  and  four  boats  and  went  a  thousand  miles 
through  the  canons.  Here  are  some  of  the  dangers 
he  encountered  as  he  tells  them  in  his  own  journal. 

"  'On  this  beach  we  camp  for  the  night.  We  find 
a  few  sticks,  which  have  lodged  in  the  rocks.  It  is 
raining  hard,  and  we  have  no  shelter,  but  kindle  a 
fire  and  have  our  supper.  We  sit  on  the  rocks  all 
night,  wrapped  in  our  ponchos,  getting  what  sleep 
we  can. 

"  'August  15.  This  morning  we  find  we  can  let 
down  for  three  or  four  hundred  yards,  and  it  is 
managed  in  this  way:  We  pass  along  the  wall,  by 
climbing  from  projecting  point  to  point,  sometimes 
near  the  water's  edge,  at  other  places  fifty  or  sixty 
feet  above,  and  hold  the  boat  with  a  line,  while  two 
men  remain  aboard,  and  prevent  her  from  being 
dashed  against  the  rocks,  and  keep  the  line  from 
getting  caught  on  the  wall.  In  two  hours  we  have 
brought  them  all  down,  as  far  as  it  is  possible,  in  this 
way.  A  few  yards  below,  the  river  strikes  with 
great  violence  against  a  projecting  rock,  and  our 
boats  are  pulled  up  in  a  little  bay  above.  We  must 
now  manage  to  pull  out  of  this,  and  clear  the  point 
below.  The  little  boat  is  held  by  the  bow  obliquely 
up  the  stream.  We  jump  in,  and  pull  out  only  a  few 
strokes,  and  sweep  clear  of  the  dangerous  rock.  The 
other  boats  follow  in  the  same  manner,  and  the 
rapid  is  passed. 


36  Mary  in  California 

4  'It  is  not  easy  to  describe  the  labor  of  such  navi 
gation.  We  must  prevent  the  waves  from  dashing 
the  boats  against  the  cliffs.  Sometimes,  where  the 
river  is  swift,  we  must  put  a  bight  of  rope  about  a 
rock,  to  prevent  her  being  snatched  from  us  by  a 
wave ;  but  where  the  plunge  is  too  great,  or  the  chute 
too  swift,  we  must  let  her  leap,  and  catch  her  below, 
or  the  undertow  will  drag  her  under  the  falling 
water,  and  she  sinks.  Where  we  wish  to  run  her  out 
a  little  way  from  shore,  through  a  channel  between 
rocks,  we  first  throw  in  little  sticks  of  driftwood, 
and  watch  their  course,  to  see  where  we  must  steer, 
so  that  she  will  pass  the  channel  in  safety.  And  so 
we  hold,  and  let  go,  and  pull,  and  lift,  and  ward, 
among  rocks,  around  rocks,  and  over  rocks. 

"  'And  now  we  go  on  through  this  solemn,  mys 
terious  way.  The  river  is  very  deep,  the  canon  very 
narrow,  and  still  obstructed,  so  that  there  is  no 
steady  flow  of  the  stream;  but  the  waters  wheel,  and 
roll,  and  boil,  and  we  are  scarcely  able  to  determine 
where  we  can  go.  Now,  the  boat  is  carried  to  the 
right,  perhaps  close  to  the  wall;  again,  she  is  shot 
into  the  stream,  and  perhaps  is  dragged  over  to  the 
other  side,  where,  caught  in  a  whirlpool,  she  spins 
about.  We  can  neither  land  nor  run  as  we  please. 
The  boats  are  entirely  unmanageable;  no  order  in 
their  running  can  be  preserved;  now  one,  now  an 
other,  is  ahead,  each  crew  laboring  for  its  own  pres 
ervation.  In  such  a  place  we  come  to  another  rapid. 
Two  of  the  boats  run  it  perforce.  One  succeeds  in 
landing,  but  there  is  no  foothold  by  which  to  make 
a  portage,  and  she  is  pushed  out  again  into  the 
stream.  The  next  minute  a  great  reflex  wave  fills 
the  open  compartment;  she  is  water-logged,  and 
drifts  unmanageable.  Breaker  after  breaker  rolls 
over  her,  and  one  capsizes  her.  The  men  are 
thrown  out;  but  they  cling  to  the  boat,  and  she 


On  Donkey  Back  to  the  Bottom  of  the  Canon    37 

drifts  down  some  distance,  alongside  of  us,  and  we 
are  able  to  catch  her.  She  is  soon  bailed  out,  and  the 
men  are  aboard  once  more ;  but  the  oars  are  lost,  so 
a  pair  from  the  Emma  Dean  is  spared.  Then  for 
two  miles  we  find  smooth  water. 

"  'Clouds  are  playing  in  the  canon  to-day.  Some 
times  they  roll  down  in  great  masses,  filling  the 
gorge  with  gloom;  sometimes  they  hang  above,  from 
wall  to  wall,  and  cover  the  canon  with  a  roof  of  im 
pending  storm;  and  we  can  peer  long  distances  up 
and  down  this  canon  corridor,  with  its  cloud-roof 
overhead,  its  walls  of  black  granite,  and  its  river 
bright  with  the  sheen  of  broken  waters.  Then,  a 
gust  of  wind  sweeps  down  a  side  gulch,  and,  making 
a  rift  in  the  clouds,  reveals  the  blue  heavens,  and 
a  stream  of  sunlight  pours  in.  Then,  the  clouds 
drift  away  into  the  distance  and  hang  around  crags, 
and  peaks,  and  pinnacles,  and  towers,  and  walls,  and 
cover  them  with  a  mantle  that  lifts  from  time  to  time 
and  sets  them  all  in  sharp  relief.  Then,  baby  clouds 
creep  out  of  side  canons,  glide  around  points,  and 
creep  back  again,  into  more  distant  gorges.  Then, 
clouds,  set  in  strata,  across  the  canon,  with  inter 
vening  vista  views,  to  cliffs  and  rocks  beyond.  The 
clouds  are  children  of  the  heavens,  and  when  they 
play  among  the  rocks,  they  lift  them  to  the  region 
above. 

"  'It  rains !  Rapidly  little  rills  are  formed  above, 
and  these  soon  grow  into  brooks,  and  the  brooks 
grow  into  creeks,  and  tumble  over  the  walls  in  in 
numerable  cascades,  adding  their  wild  music  to  the 
roar  of  the  river.  When  the  rain  ceases,  the  rills, 
brooks,  and  creeks  run  dry.  The  waters  that  fall, 
during  a  rain,  on  these  steep  rocks,  are  gathered  at 
once  into  the  river;  they  could  scarcely  be  poured  in 
more  suddenly,  if  some  vast  spout  ran  from  the 
clouds  to  the  stream  itself.  When  a  storm  bursts 


3  8  Mary  in  California 

over  the  canon,  a  side  gulch  is  dangerous,  for  a 
sudden  flood  may  come,  and  the  inpouring  waters 
will  raise  the  river,  so  as  to  hide  the  rocks  before 
your  eyes. 

"  'Early  in  the  afternoon,  we  discover  a  stream 
entering  from  the  north,  a  clear,  beautiful  creek, 
coming  down  through  a  gorgeous  red  canon.  We 
land,  and  camp  on  a  sand  beach,  above  its  mouth, 
under  a  great,  overspreading  tree,  with  willow- 
shaped  leaves/ 

"That  gives  you  a  pretty  good  idea  of  some  of 
the  things  Powell  had  to  contend  with.  He  finally 
lost  a  boat  and  three  of  his  party  deserted.  But  he 
was  not  one  to  turn  back." 

4  Why  did  he  do  it,  Dad  ?"  asked  Dave.  "I  mean, 
what  was  the  good  of  it?" 

"Well,  if  it  were  not  for  men  like  Powell,  how 
do  you  suppose  geographies  could  be  made,  and 
natural  histories  written  and  botanies  composed? 
That  is  the  practical  use  of  it.  But  can't  you  imagine 
how  a  man  feels  who  has  gone  to  places  that  no  eye 
but  his  has  seen  and  no  other  foot  has  trod  ?  Do  you 
know  Kipling's  poem,  'The  Explorer'  ? 

'  'Till  a  voice,  as  bad  as  Conscience,   rang  interminable  changes 
On  one  everlasting  Whisper  day  and  night  repeated — so: 
"Something  hidden.     Go  and  find  it.     Go  and  look  behind  the 

Ranges — 
Something  lost  behind  the  Ranges.     Lost  and  waiting  for  you. 

Go!'" 

"You  know  you  loved  to  ride  off  alone  in  New 
Mexico  last  summer,  Dave.  You  were  always  want 
ing  to  explore." 

"Oh,  Dad,  it  must  have  been  glorious  to  do  what 
Powell  did,"  said  Mary. 


On  Donkey  Back  to  the  Bottom  of  the  Canon    39 

"Did  he  find  any  bones  and  things?"  asked  Dave. 

"He  found  pueblo  ruins  and  pottery.  He  tells 
about  it  in  a  short  and  amusing  chapter." 

We  had  finished  our  lunch  by  this  time,  and  were 
glad  to  listen  to  a  little  more  of  Powell's  romance. 

*  'Late  in  the  afternoon  I  return,  and  go  up  a 
little  gulch,  just  above  this  creek,  about  two  hun 
dred  yards  from  camp,  and  discover  the  ruins  of 
two  or  three  old  houses,  which  were  originally  of 
stone,  laid  in  mortar.  Only  the  foundations  are  left, 
but  irregular  blocks,  of  which  the  houses  were  con 
structed,  lie  scattered  about.  In  one  room  I  find  an 
old  mealing  stone,  deeply  worn,  as  if  it  had  been 
much  used.  A  great  deal  of  pottery  is  strewn 
around,  and  old  trails,  which  in  some  places  are 
deeply  worn  into  the  rocks,  are  seen. 

"  'It  is  ever  a  source  of  wonder  to  us  why  these 
ancient  people  sought  such  inaccessible  places  for 
their  homes.  They  were,  doubtless,  an  agricultural 
race,  but  there  are  no  lands  here,  of  any  consider 
able  extent,  that  they  could  have  cultivated.  To  the 
west  of  Oraiby,  one  of  the  towns  in  the  "Province 
of  Tusayan,"  in  Northern  Arizona,  the  inhabitants 
have  actually  built  little  terraces  along  the  face  of 
the  cliff,  where  a  spring  gushes  out,  and  thus  made 
their  sites  for  gardens.  It  is  possible  that  the  an 
cient  inhabitants  of  this  place  made  their  agricultural 
lands  in  the  same  way.  But  why  should  they  seek 
such  spots  ?  Surely  the  country  was  not  so  crowded 
with  population  as  to  demand  the  utilization  of  so 
barren  a  region.  The  only  solution  of  the  problem 
suggested  is  this :  We  know  that,  for  a  cen 
tury  or  two  after  the  settlement  of  Mexico, 
many  expeditions  were  sent  into  the  country 
now  comprised  in  Arizona  and  New  Mexico,  for 
the  purpose  of  bringing  the  town-building  people 


40  Mary  in  California 

under  the  dominion  of  the  Spanish  government. 
Many  of  their  villages  were  destroyed,  and  the 
inhabitants  fled  to  regions  at  that  time  unknown; 
and  there  are  traditions,  among  the  people  who 
inhabit  the  pueblos  that  still  remain,  that  the 
canons  were  these  unknown  lands.  Maybe  these 
buildings  were  erected  at  that  time;  sure  it  is  that 
they  have  a  much  more  modern  appearance  than  the 
ruins  scattered  over  Nevada,  Utah,  Colorado,  Ari 
zona,  and  New  Mexico.  Those  old  Spanish  con 
querors  had  a  monstrous  greed  for  gold,  and  a  won 
derful  lust  for  saving  souls.  Treasures  they  must 
have;  if  not  on  earth,  why,  then,  in  heaven;  and 
when  they  failed  to  find  heathen  temples,  bedecked 
with  silver,  they  propitiated  Heaven  by  seizing  the 
heathen  themselves.  There  is  yet  extant  a  copy  of 
a  record,  made  by  a  heathen  artist,  to  express  his 
conception  of  the  demands  of  the  conquerors.  In 
one  part  of  the  picture  we  have  a  lake,  and  near  by 
stands  a  priest  pouring  water  on  the  head  of  a  na 
tive.  On  the  other  side,  a  poor  Indian  has  a  cord 
about  his  throat.  Lines  run  from  these  two  groups 
to  a  central  figure,  a  man  with  beard,  and  full  Span 
ish  panoply.  The  interpretation  of  the  picture  writ 
ing  is  this:  "Be  baptized,  as  this  saved  heathen; 
or  be  hanged,  as  that  damned  heathen."  Doubtless, 
some  of  these  people  preferred  a  third  alternative, 
and,  rather  than  be  baptized  or  hanged,  they  chose 
to  be  imprisoned  within  these  canon  walls.'  ' 

"Those  poor  Indians,"  remarked  Mary.  "Do 
you  remember  that  story,  'The  House  of  the  Dawn/ 
we  read  last  winter,  and  how  the  Spaniards  forced 
the  Indians  to  work  in  the  mines  and  beat  them  and 
made  them  slaves?" 

"That  was  a  bully  story,"  said  Dave. 

"It  wasn't  only  the  Spaniards  that  treated  the 


On  Donkey  Back  to  the  Bottom  of  the  Canon    41 

Indians  badly.  Only  they  had  a  gentler,  finer  type 
of  people  to  deal  with,  and  that  made  their  cruelty 
more  inexcusable.  If  it  had  been  the  Apaches  now 
— but  it  is  hard  to  forgive  them  their  treatment  of 
the  Hopis  and  the  Pueblos.  Well,  I  suppose  we 
must  be  going  up  soon.  Certainly  from  here  we 
would  never  believe  in  the  wonderful  sights  above 
us.  This  looks  very  much  like  our  old  friend  the 
Rio  Grande,  only  on  a  bigger  scale." 

Mary  and  Dave  jumped  up  and  ran  to  the  river. 
The  current  was  of  great  swiftness  and  the  water  a 
dirty  gray-brown  color.  There  was  a  sandy  beach 
where  we  had  been  sitting,  but  great  rocks  stood  up 
here  and  there,  and  farther  downstream  the  cliffs 
came  down  to  the  water's  edge.  It  was  a  wild  spot. 
Mary  threw  a  stick  into  the  water  and  watched  it 
rapidly  disappear. 

uMy,  I'd  hate  to  be  caught  in  that,"  said  Dave, 
tossing  a  stone  in.  "I  bet  it  is  swifter  than  the  Rio 
Grande.  I  don't  see  how  that  Powell  bunch  ever  got 
down.  But  I  would  like  to  try  it  in  a  small  aero 
plane.  I  bet  it  could  be  done." 

Franklin  now  approached  and  wanted  to  know  if 
we  were  rested  and  ready  for  the  up  trip.  "It's 
about  time  we  started,"  he  remarked. 

uDo  you  come  from  these  parts?"  asked  the 
Doctor. 

"No,  I  came  from  Wyoming.  I  haven't  been  here 
more'n  a  couple  of  years.  But  my  wife,  she  likes  it 
here.  It  was  kinder  lonesome  out  on  the  cattle  lands, 
she  thought.  We  see  more  folks  here.  It  pays  well, 
too,  I  ain't  kicking.  It's  a  matter  of  riding  up  and 


42  Mary  in  California 

down  instead  of  on  the  level,  that's  all.  And  I 
kinder  like  these  old  mules.  They  have  more  sense 
than  a  horse." 

"But  you  can't  well  make  friends  of  them  as  you 
can  with  a  horse,  can  you?"  asked  Mary.  "I  know 
I  never  could  love  this  old  fiend  as  I  did  my  horse  in 
New  Mexico,  Jim  Snort." 

Franklin  indulged  in  a  hearty  guffaw.  "Make 
friends  with  a  mule?  Well,  land  sakes,  no.  But 
when  you're  choosing  your  friends  you  don't  just 
aim  to  find  something  with  sense,  do  you?  The 
mule,  he  always  looks  out  for  number  one,  that's 
where  the  sense  comes  in.  But  a  horse,  he's  folks. 
You  can  love  a  horse.  I  had  a  broncho  back  in 
Wyoming.  He  was  a  beaut  and  no  mistake.  He 
saved  my  life  for  me  in  a  blizzard  once.  We  were 
out  on  the  plains  trying  to  round  up  some  lost  cat 
tle  and  the  storm  caught  us.  I  lost  my  way,  hadn't 
any  idea  where  we  were.  I  just  let  Pinto  have  his 
way  and  walked  beside  him.  When  I  got  tired  he'd 
wait  for  me,  and  once  when  I  rolled  over  and  wanted 
to  sleep,  he  pushed  me  and  nuzzled  me  and  half 
pulled  me  up.  He  knew  I  mustn't  stay  there,  for 
it  meant  freezing  to  death.  And  he  finally  got  me 
back  to  the  ranch." 

"Oh,  how  could  you  leave  him  in  Wyoming?" 
said  Mary. 

"He  was  shot  by  a  fool  who  thought  he  was  hunt 
ing  big  game.  Get  ap,  Tom,  we'll  never  get  to  the 
top,"  and  Franklin  kicked  his  mule  lustily  in  the 
ribs. 

I  don't  know  which  was  worse,  going  up  or  com- 


On  Donkey  Back  to  the  Bottom  of  the  Canon   43 

ing  down.  I  never  dared  look  back,  but  at  least  we 
knew  that  every  step  was  bringing  us  nearer  the  end 
and  the  mules  were  tired  and  less  inclined  to  be 
playful. 

"I  am  sure  Trix  never  could  have  done  it,"  I  said. 

"Don't  you  believe  it,  Mother.  She  would  have 
tried  to  gallop,"  Mary  answered. 

"You're  right,  my  dear,"  observed  Mrs.  Norton. 
"Trix  is  capable  of  anything.  Heigh-ho,  I  am  glad 
I've  done  it,  but  I  wouldn't  go  again  for  a  million." 

"I  wonder  what  she  has  been  doing  all  day,"  re 
marked  Mary.  "That  little  Indian  boy  looked  aw-* 
fully  jolly." 

"I  wish  I'd  stayed  up,"  said  Dave. 

"Now,  Dave,  you  don't.  It  was  wonderful,  and 
aren't  the  mules  fun?" 

"I'd  rather  go  down  on  an  aeroplane.  Say, 
wouldn't  that  be  great?" 

"I  suppose  you'd  run  it,"  suggested  Mary. 

"I  bet  I  could  learn  how  if  some  one  taught  me. 
Anyhow,  just  think  of  swooping  down." 

"I  am  afraid  you  wouldn't  swoop  down  more 
than  once,  Dave,  my  boy,"  interrupted  Mrs.  Nor 
ton.  "It  would  be  a  pretty  daring  aviator  who 
would  try  to  land  down  there." 

We  stopped  before  the  last  steep  ascent  to  rest  the 
mules.  Dave  slipped  off  his  and  sat  down  on  the 
ground. 

"I  am  thinking  that  you  like  the  seat  of  an  aero 
plane  better  than  the  saddle  of  a  mule,  is  that  so?" 
called  Mrs.  Norton. 

"Here,  boy,  hold  on  to  that  bridle,"  called  Frank- 


44  Mary  in  California 

lin.  But  alas,  his  call  came  too  late.  Dave's  small 
gray  animal  departed  rapidly  up  the  trail. 

uHe  doesn't  seem  to  need  resting!"  observed 
Dave  in  disgust. 

At  that  moment  we  heard  a  yell  and  a  whoop  from 
above. 

"Trix,"  suggested  Mr.  Norton. 

When  we  turned  the  next  curve  in  the  trail,  there 
were  Trix  and  her  small  Indian  friend  calmly  sitting 
on  the  runaway  mule,  who  was  eating  his  afternoon 
tea  from  the  side  of  the  trail. 

"Hi,  that's  my  donkey,"  called  Dave. 

Instantly,  amid  squeals  of  delight,  the  two  young 
sters  dug  their  heels  into  the  sides  of  their  steed, 
who  started  upward.  Dave  rushed  in  pursuit  and 
tried  to  catch  the  tail  of  the  mule. 

"For  the  love  of  Pete  keep  away  from  his  back 
legs,"  yelled  Franklin,  and  we  all  joined  in  the 
chorus,  "Keep  away  from  his  back  legs." 

Dave  jumped  back  just  in  time  to  avoid  the  heels 
that  struck  out.  Then  the  mule,  with  his  double 
burden,  proceeded,  the  rest  followed,  and  Dave 
slowly  walked  behind.  He  was  muttering  some 
thing  about  an  aeroplane  being  much  better. 

There  had  been  a  photograph  taken  of  our  de 
scent.  A  man  had  climbed  up  an  unbelievable  preci 
pice  and  had  snapped  the  party.  We  found  the  pic 
tures  waiting  for  us  at  the  top. 

"Mother,  now  you  see  how  you  look,"  said  Mary. 

"Don't  you  worry  your  mother  now,  Mary,"  said 
Mrs.  Norton.  "She's  a  good  sport.  You  didn't 
look  so  beautiful  yourself  for  all  you  had  bloomers 


On  Donkey  Back  to  the  Bottom  of  the  Canon    45 

and  a  middy  blouse.  These  young  folks  always  think 
they  look  fine.  Your  mother  looks  as  though  she 
wasn't  as  used  to  mules  as  to  some  other  method 
of  locomotion — aeroplanes  maybe.  Trix,  what  have 
you  been  doing  all  day?"  she  ended,  as  we  joined 
the  runaway  and  his  two  riders. 

"We  had  a  wonderful  time — and  oh,  Mother! 
Can't  we  ride  back  by  the  cabin  and  leave  Tom? 
Please,  please  do." 

"Is  it  far  out  of  the  way?"  I  asked.  "I  would 
like  to  thank  your  friends,  but  I  am  tired." 

"No,  it's  hardly  any  farther." 

So  the  Doctor,  Mary,  and  I  rode  with  Trix  to  a 
little  house  of  logs  that  made  us  think  of  our  dearly 
loved  cabin  in  New  Mexico.  We  heard  a  low  sing 
ing  as  we  approached. 

"Puva,  puva,  puva,"  some  one  seemed  to  be 
saying. 

In  front  of  the  cabin  sat  a  beautiful  Indian  girl, 
dressed  in  very  simple  American  clothes,  apparently 
lulling  to  sleep  a  small  baby  lying  in  her  lap. 

"That's  his  mother  and  the  baby,"  said  Trix. 

The  woman  arose  as  we  came  up,  and  greeted  us. 

"Thank  you  so  much  for  taking  care  of  our  little 
girl,"  said  the  Doctor.  "You  have  been  most  kind." 

"It  was  only  a  pleasure,"  was  the  answer.  "She 
and  Tom  have  had  much  fun  together.  Tuvevol,  do 
not  forget  your  bow  and  arrows,"  she  added  to  Trix. 

"Is  that  your  Indian  name,  Trix?"  I  asked. 
"What  does  it  mean?" 

"Butterfly  girl,"  answered  Trix.  "Where  is  the 
bow?" 


46  Mary  In  California 

"That  is  a  pretty  name,  Tuvevol.  We'll  have  to 
use  it  ourselves,  when  Trix  is  very  good.  What  was 
the  song  you  were  singing  when  we  came  up?" 

"That  is  a  lullaby.  Would  you  like  to  hear  it? 
Your  little  girl  thought  it  was  very  nice  and  funny." 

"Oh,  please  sing  it  for  us,"  cried  Mary. 

"I  will  say  first  what  it  means.    Puva  is  sleep— 

"  'Sleep,  sleep,  sleep, — 
In  the  trail  the  beetles 
On  each  other's  backs  are  sleeping, 
So  on  mine,  my  baby,  thou — ' 

"In  Hopi  land  the  beetles  carry  each  other  on 
their  backs,  and  we  say  they  are  blind  and  sleeping. 
So  the  Hopi  mothers  carry  their  babies  on  the  back 
and  sing  them  to  sleep. 

"  'Puva,  puva,  puva, 
Hohoyawu, 
Shulepo,  pave-e 
Na — ikwiokiango, 
Puva,  puva,  puva.'" 

"Won't  you  sing  it  again?"  asked  the  Doctor. 
"It  is  fascinating." 

She  sang  it  once  more  and  then  her  husband  came 
up. 

Again  we  thanked  them  both  for  their  kindness. 

"Do  you  leave  to-night?"  asked  the  Indian. 

"Alas,  yes.  I  wish  we  could  stay  longer  and  drive 
out  to  the  painted  desert.  I  have  always  wished  to 
see  it." 

"Why  do  they  call  it  that?"  asked  Trix. 

"Because  of  the  beautiful  colors,  Tuvevol,"  an 
swered  the  Indian.  "In  the  morning  it  is  like  the 


On  Donkey  Back  to  the  Bottom  of  the  Canon   47 

dew  when  the  sun  shines  through  it,  and  in  the 
evening  it  is  like  the  rainbow.  We  are  sorry  that 
you  are  going  so  soon.  There  is  much  that  I  would 
like  to  teach  this  little  one.  Also  there  are  many 
things  concerning  my  people  that  I  would  like  to 
talk  over  with  you." 

"I  certainly  wish  we  could.  But  our  reservations 
have  been  made  long  in  advance  and  we  are  due  in 
California  very  shortly.  Thank  you  again." 

»"Then  good-by,  Tuvevol,"  he  said,  turning  to 
Trix.  "Come  again  to  see  us." 

Trix  threw  her  arms  around  him  and  gave  him  a 
good  hug.  Then  she  proceeded  to  embrace  his  wife, 
but  when  she  turned  to  find  her  boy  playmate^  he 
had  disappeared. 

"Tom  is  afraid  to  be  thought  like  a  woman  who 
kisses,"  said  the  Indian,  smiling.  "I  will  tell  him 
that  you  said  good-by." 

Then  Trix  picked  up  her  bow  and  arrows  and 
showed  us  a  lovely  piece  of  pottery  that  had  been 
given  her,  and  we  departed  regretfully. 

"They  are  fine  people,"  said  the  Doctor.  "I 
heard  at  the  hotel  that  they  are  both  college  gradu 
ates,  and  are  doing  a  lot  of  good  among  their 
people." 

"I  just  love  them,"  said  Trix.  "We  had  such 
fun  and  they  had  such  funny  things  to  eat.  I  learned 
how  to  shoot,  but  I  couldn't  shoot  as  far  as  Tom." 

"I  am  sorry  it  is  all  over,  but  I  am  glad  to  get  off 
this  beast,"  I  said  as  we  dismounted  in  front  of  the 
hotel.  "Now  for  a  few  minutes'  rest  and  then  we're 
on  our  way  again." 


48  Mary  in  California 

"Mother,  I  wish  I'd  shown  that  Indian  my  ring," 
said  Mary. 

"Your  father  forbade  your  showing  it  to  any 
one,"  I  replied. 

"But  he  is  so  friendly.    And  he  went  to  college — " 

"So  was  Mateo  friendly,  the  Indian  boy  in  New 
Mexico  to  whom  you  showed  the  ring.  And  see 
what  happened.  You  were  captured  by  Indians  and 
lots  of  trouble  came  to  lots  of  people." 

"I  would  like  to  know  more  about  it,  and  why 
Lobo  wore  it  around  his  neck  on  that  curious  red  and 
black  cord.  I  wonder  if  El  Lobo  really  died?" 

"Of  course  he  did.  They  wouldn't  have  given  us 
the  ring  if  he  hadn't." 

"Well,  he  wasn't  dead  when  they  took  him  off  the 
train,"  remarked  Dave.  "I  bet  we  haven't  seen  the 
last  of  him." 


CHAPTER  IV 

A  FOREST  FIRE  NEAR  LOS  ANGELES 

WE  are  really  on  the  last  lap  of  our  journey 
west,"  announced  the  Doctor,  as  the  train 
left  Williams. 

"When  will  we  be  in  Los  Angeles,  Daddy  ?"  asked 
Mary. 

uTo-morrow,  soon  after  lunch,  if  the  fates  are 
good,"  answered  Mrs.  Norton.  "Then  hurrah  for 
home!  And  we'll  give  you  a  really  good  California 
dinner.  You  will  certainly  eat  with  us  and  go  to,a 
show,  won't  you?" 

"Well,  I  don't  know  about  the  show  part,  but  we 
would  love  to  eat  with  you." 

At  that  moment  Mr.  Norton  approached  waving 
a  newspaper. 

"My  dear,  there  may  not  be  any  Los  Angeles  by 
the  time  we  get  there,"  he  called.  "There  are  big 
forest  fires  in  the  San  Gabriel  Canon  and  also  north 
at  Tejunga  Canon  and  beyond  near  San  Fernando." 

"Fred,  what  do  you  mean?"  asked  his  wife. 
"You  must  be  fooling.  Los  Angeles  could  not  be  in 
danger." 

"No,  not  really.  But  the  fires  in  the  mountains 
are  very  bad — the  worst  in  years.  I  am  worried 
about  Jack's  ranch  in  the  Little  Tejunga." 

49 


50  Mary  in  California 

"Who's  Jack?"  asked  Dave.  "Oh,  Dad,  do  get 
us  a  paper." 

"Jack  is  Mr.  Norton's  nephew,"  answered  Mrs. 
Norton.  "But,  Fred,  that's  terrible.  How  about 
the  watershed  at  Arroyo  Seco,  and  the  pleasure 
parks?" 

"The  fire  marshal  thinks  they  are  safe.  But  peo 
ple  are  fleeing  to  Aruza  from  the  San  Gabriel 
Canon." 

"How  soon  can  we  see  it?  Can  we  see  it  from 
the  train?"  demanded  Dave  eagerly. 

"What  is  it,  what  is  it?"  clamored  Trix,  who  had 
not  heard  the  beginning  of  the  conversation.  "Will 
it  stop  the  train?  Will  it  eat  us  up?" 

"It's  a  big  fire  in  the  woods,"  answered  Dave.  "A 
great  big  fire." 

"Where?    I  want  to  see  it,"  cried  Trix. 

"You  won't  see  it  till  to-morrow,  probably,"  an 
swered  her  father. 

"The  paper  says  the  wind  is  blowing  from  the 
northeast,  so  you  may  not  see  it  till  nearly  noon  to 
morrow,"  added  Mr.  Norton.  "But  the  air  is  full 
of  fine  ashes  in  Pasadena,  and  even  as  far  as  Santa 
Barbara." 

"You  won't  get  a  very  fine  view  of  Los  Angeles, 
I'm  thinking,"  said  Mrs.  Norton.  "I  am  so  sorry. 
For  the  mountains  around  the  city  are  beautiful." 

"Oh,  but  think  of  seeing  a  real  forest  fire !"  Mary 
put  in. 

"I  doubt  if  you  see  anything  but  a  thick  cloud  of 
smoke,"  said  Mr.  Norton. 

"Bless  the  kids,"  added  Mrs.  Norton.     "I  be- 


A  Forest  Fire  Near  Los  Angeles          51 

lieve  they  are  thinking  of  something  between  a  vol 
cano  and  a  bonfire.  Unless  you  are  actually  on  the 
firing  line,  you'd  have  to  be  up  in  an  aeroplane  to 
see  any  flames. " 

"Oh,  Dad,  can't  we  go  up  in  an  aeroplane?"  asked 
Dave  eagerly. 

"Mother,  could  we?"  Mary  echoed. 

"If  that  isn't  the  modern  child!  Do  you  want  an 
orchestra  seat  provided,  and  do  you  think  you  are 
going  to  a  movie?"  said  Mrs.  Norton. 

"Well,  I  wish  it  was  to-morrow,"  observed  Dave. 
"I  bet  we'll  see  more  than  you  think." 

The  day  seemed  a  long  one.  Mrs.  Norton  and 
Trixy  were  the  most  peaceful  in  appearance,  for 
Mrs.  Norton  was  finishing  a  pink  knitted  baby 
blanket — "For  Jack's  youngest,"  she  said — and  Trix 
was  absorbed  in  a  fortune-telling  box.  She  busily 
rolled  the  little  shot  to  and  fro  in  the  box,  and  when 
one  would  come  to  rest  in  a  hole  called  out  to  one 
of  the  older  members  of  the  party  to  tell  her  what 
it  meant.  For  to  Trixy  reading  was  slow  and  pain 
ful.  She  could  spell  out — "Not  I,  said  the  dog. 
Not  I,  said  the  cat.  I  will,  said  the  little  red  hen." 
But  telling  her  own  fortune  was  too  difficult. 

"Trixy,  I  don't  believe  you  know  what  it  all 
means,"  said  Mary.  "I  won't  read  it  for  you  any 
more.  You  can't  care  about  it." 

"But  I  do.  Mrs.  Norton,  you  do  it,"  demanded 
Trix.  "What  does  this  hole  mean?  It's  number 


six." 


"A  fortune  awaits  you  if  you  are  diligent,"  read 
Mrs.  Norton. 


52  Mary  in  California 

"Yummy  Yum,"  exclaimed  Trix  joyfully. 

Mrs.  Norton  looked  at  her  gravely.  "I  don't 
think  you  ought  to  be  so  happy,"  she  said  finally. 
"That's  very  bad." 

"Oh,  dear,  what  does  it  mean?"  asked  Trix. 

"I  think  you  are  too  young  to  know.  Try  another, 
Trix,"  was  the  answer.  The  next  hole,  number  five, 
told  her  to  beware  of  a  dark  man. 

"What  does  'beware'  mean?"  Trix  said. 

"Get  out  of  the  way,  be  careful  not  to  go  near, 
something  or  some  one  that  will  hurt  you." 

"Does  that  mean  Mr.  Norton?  He's  dark,  isn't 
he?" 

"Not  dark  enough.  I  think  it  means  an  Indian, 
or  maybe  the  colored  porter,"  answered  Mrs. 
Norton. 

"I  am  not  afraid  of  him,"  exclaimed  Trix.  "Why, 
he  gave  me  some  chewing  gum  before  lunch,  but 
don't  tell  Mother,"  she  added  in  a  whisper. 

The  next  morning,  from  Barstow  on,  where  the 
railroad  turned  toward  Los  Angeles,  Mary,  Dave, 
and  Trix  fairly  glued  their  faces  to  the  window  in 
the  hope  of  seeing  something  of  the  burning  forests. 
Dave  declared  he  could  smell  smoke  as  he  passed 
from  car  to  car,  after  breakfast. 

"Maybe  you  can,  but  the  wind  is  strong,"  said 
Mr.  Norton.  "They  say  the  trains  down  from  Santa 
Barbara  are  full  of  fine  ashes,  in  spite  of  the  fact 
that  all  the  windows  are  closed." 

"That's  the  way  we're  going  up,  isn't  it,  Dad?" 
asked  Dave.  "We'll  surely  smell  it  then.  And 
maybe  see  it  too." 


A  Forest  Fire  Near  Los  Angeles  53 

Later  in  the  morning  Mrs.  Norton  informed  us 
that  the  mountains  which  we  ought  to  be  seeing  were 
shrouded  in  the  hazy  smoke  clouds  which  we  could 
see  to  the  southwest. 

"Where's  the  smoke,  where?"  demanded  Trix. 
"I  don't  see  any  flames  or  any  red." 

"We  are  not  near  enough,"  the  Doctor  told 
her. 

But  even  when  we  approached  Pasadena  and  Los 
Angeles  we  could  see  only  a  smoky  haze.  At  least 
we  had  the  satisfaction  of  smelling  the  fire.  The 
air  was  laden  with  it,  and  with  the  fine  resultant 
ashes. 

"Oh,  you  will  not  be  able  to  see  any  of  our  beau 
tiful  mountains,"  mourned  Mrs.  Norton.  "We  are 
so  proud  of  them.  And  now  you  can  see  literally 
nothing." 

The  Nortons  were  met  at  the  station  by  a  tall, 
fair-haired  young  woman  who  proved  to  be  a  niece, 
"Jack's  wife."  And  before  we  parted,  we  to  go  to 
our  hotel,  and  they  to  their  home,  we  heard  that 
"Jack"  had  gone  up  to  the  canon  to  help  save  his 
home.  His  wife  had  brought  their  two  little  chil 
dren  back  to  Los  Angeles. 

"Be  sure  you  dine  with  us  to-night,  and  don't  for 
get  the  address,"  said  Mr.  Norton  as  we  shook 
hands. 

"And  if  you  hire  that  aeroplane  take  me  too, 
Dave,"  added  Mrs.  Norton. 

"I  don't  like  Mrs.  Norton, — she's  too  fresh," 
growled  Dave  as  we  drove  off  in  a  taxi.  "And  say, 
Dad,  we  just  must  see  something  of  that  fire." 


54  Mary  in  California 

"I  think  a  forest  fire  as  big  as  that  is  a  good  thing 
to  keep  away  from/'  some  one  replied. 

It  was  very  hot  in  the  city.  The  clerk  told  us  that 
the  thermometer  had  risen  twenty  degrees  owing  to 
the  fire. 

We  had  hardly  gotten  settled  in  our  rooms  and 
were  planning  how  we  would  spend  the  afternoon, 
when  the  Doctor  was  called  on  the  'phone.  Pres 
ently  he  poked  his  head  out  of  the  booth  and  called 
to  me. 

"It's  Mr.  Norton,"  he  said  in  a  low  voice  when 
I  joined  him.  "He  says  he  thinks  Dave's  right,  and 
that  we  ought  not  to  miss  the  sight — that  we  could 
get  near  enough  and  still  be  out  of  danger.  He 
wants  to  know  if  three  of  us  will  come  up  in 
his  car.  He  himself  will  drive.  What  do  you 
say?" 

What  could  I  say?    "Which  three?" 

"Gracious,  we're  not  going  to  the  Altar  of  Sacri 
fice.  I  should  say  you,  Dave,  and  Mary." 

"Isn't  it  crazy?"  I  asked. 

"No,  of  course  not.  Mr.  Norton  would  not  pro 
pose  it." 

"All  right,  say  yes.  We  can  discuss  who'll  go 
later." 

"A  woman  might  be  in  the  way,  and  the  Doctor 
might  be  especially  valuable,"  I  thought  as  I  joined 
the  children. 

"Mary,  run  upstairs  quick  and  put  on  your 
bloomers.  Mr.  Norton  is  going  to  take  you  and 
Dave  and  Daddy  out  to  see  the  fire." 

There  was  no  need  for  a  second  bidding. 


A  Forest  Fire  Near  Los  Angeles  55 

"Why  can't  I  go?  I  want  to  go,  Mother/'  was 
Trix's  cry. 

"You  and  I  are  going  to  stay  behind,"  I  answered. 
"Maybe  we  can  go  to  see  Mrs.  Norton." 

The  Doctor  joined  us.     "Well,  what's  decided?" 

"You  and  Dave  and  Mary  are  to  go." 

"Nonsense,  I  want  you  to  go." 

"Now,  don't  be  foolish,  my  dear,"  I  answered. 
"It's  a  chance  of  a  lifetime  for  the  children.  And 
if  anything  happened  you  would  be  more  useful  than 
I.  So  it's  all  decided.  But  do  put  on  something  old 
— your  Grand  Canon  clothes.  Mary  has  gone  up  to 
change." 

Almost  before  we  were  ready,  Mr.  Norton  ap 
peared. 

"Who's  going?"  he  asked. 

"The  Doctor,  Mary,  and  Dave,"  I  answered. 

"I  guessed  it.  Mrs.  Norton  said  to  tell  you  and 
Trix  to  come  over  and  stay  with  her.  She  has  some 
thing  planned  for  you." 

I  said  we  accepted  with  pleasure. 

The  next  minute  Mary  and  Dave  had  given  me 
frantic  hugs  and  the  Doctor  had  kissed  me  good-by. 

"Don't  be  worried,"  was  Mr.  Norton's  parting 
remark,  "I'm  a  very  safe  driver  and  I  won't  run 
any  risks." 

Presently  Trix  and  I  issued  forth,  and  after  a 
short  walk  found  Mrs.  Norton,  her  niece,  Mrs. 
Jack,  a  lively  little  girl  of  five,  and  a  baby  who  "looks 
like  my  big  doll  you  wouldn't  let  me  bring,"  as  Trix 
said. 

Mrs.  Jack  and  Trix  were  both  in  a  state  of  half 


56  Mary  in  California 

rebellion  at  not  being  allowed  to  join  the  party  who 
were  going  up  the  canon.  Mrs.  Norton  and  I  ap 
peared  outwardly  calm,  though  I  know  that  we  both 
were  sorry  to  be  left  behind. 

Trix  and  small  Antoinette  played  together  in  the 
garden,  while  Mrs.  Norton  and  her  niece  invited 
me  to  wander  about  the  streets  to  see  the  sights. 

"It's  a  shame  you  can't  see  the  mountains,"  ob 
served  Mrs.  Jack.  "We  have  such  lovely  ranges. 
But  that's  just  where  the  fires  are.  Our  canon,  the 
Little  Tejunga,  seems  to  be  in  a  good  deal  of  danger. 
Of  course  I  can't  help  being  worried  to  have  my 
husband  up  there  without  me.  But  he  said  he  would 
feel  freer  to  work  if  I  were  here  with  the  young 


sters." 


"Children  do  seem  to  be  dreadfully  in  the  way 
sometimes,"  remarked  Mrs.  Norton.  "I  know  you 
two  mothers  are  wishing  yours  were  somewhere  in 
the  heavenly  regions." 

"Well,  not  quite  so  far  as  that,"  I  laughed. 

"You  bad,  bad  mothers.  Here  am  I  with  the  one 
member  of  my  family  gone  to  the  fire,  and  I  am  not 
complaining,  while  you  are  grumbling  and  yet  have 
your  babes  here  to  comfort  you." 

"Well,  why  didn't  you  go?"  asked  Mrs.  Jack,  a 
little  crossly. 

"Because,  my  love,  having  gone  through  one  for 
est  fire  I  can  get  along  quite  well  without  another. 
They  really  are  quite  terrifying." 

"When  did  you  go  through  one,  Auntie?"  asked 
her  niece. 

"I  was  on  the  last  train  that  got  through  in  a  big 


A  Forest  Fire  Near  Los  Angeles  57 

fire  in  Canada  once.  It  nearly  burned  the  roof  over 
our  heads,  and  we  could  hardly  move  for  the  poor 
wood  creatures  that  were  trying  to  escape  along  the 
track.  It  was  like  being  in  a  stove,  and  you  know 
my  warm  Irish  heart  doesn't  need  any  extra  heat. 
I  always  preferred  Daniel's  lion  den  to  the  fiery  fur 
nace  of  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abednego.  And 
the  roar  of  it !  It  was  frightful.  Then  I  can't  bear 
to  see  the  wonderful  trees  go.  They  seem  to  totter 
and  fall  like  soldiers  in  a  battle." 

"I  wonder  how  this  one  started.  Some  one  was 
careless,  I  suppose." 

"People  are  so  wicked  in  their  carelessness,"  burst 
out  Mrs.  Jack.  "Think  of  the  glory  of  our  forests, 
not  to  mention  the  pleasant  homes  and  the  possible 
injury  to  people  caused  by  this  fire.  And  some 
fool  was  probably  out  camping  and  thought  he'd 
put  his  fire  out.  Or  maybe  he  didn't  even  do  that 
much.  It's  sickening." 

We  wandered  through  the  streets  of  that  city 
of  pleasant  and  hospitable  homes.  But  the  hot, 
smoky  haze  from  the  fire  seemed  to  be  heavy  on 
us  all. 

"It  must  be  terrible  up  in  the  mountains,"  shud 
dered  Mrs.  Norton.  "Let  us  go  home  and  find  the 
children." 

"When  do  you  expect  our  tourists  back  again?" 
I  asked. 

"Well,"  replied  Mrs.  Norton,  "if  the  Doctor  is 
the  man  I  take  him  for,  and  something  like  my 
husband,  they'll  come  back  when  the  gasoline  gives 
out  or  their  stomachs  cry  cupboard  too  loudly.  They 


58  Mary  in  California 

won't  go  where  it's  too  dangerous ;  that  is,  where  the 
boys  are  fighting  with  the  shovel,  and  maybe  the  fact 
that  Mary  and  Dave  are  along  will  make  them  cau 
tious,  too.  But  they  will  go  where  there  is  some 
thing  doing  or  I  am  much  mistaken.  I  hope  they 
will  pick  up  Jack  and  bring  him  home." 

We  found  Trix  and  Antoinette  making  mud  pies, 
with  the  usual  result  of  dirty  clothes.  But  such  won 
derful  chocolate-colored  cakes  as  they  had  made! 
It  made  us  hungry  to  look  at  them. 

"Let's  have  some  tea,"  said  Mrs.  Jack.  "I  think 
we  may  be  having  a  late  dinner." 

"My  dear,  we  won't  wait  for  the  auto  party," 
answered  Mrs.  Norton.  "But  I  have  no  objection 


to  tea  now." 


"How  far  is  it  up  to  the  canon?"  I  asked. 

"Well,  I  should  say  about  twenty-five  miles.  But 
distances  really  mean  very  little  to  me  when  I'm  in 
an  auto.  It  may  be  farther.  I  fancy  they'll  'step  on 
the  gas,'  as  the  boys  say.  It's  a  pity  that  Dave 
didn't  get  his  aeroplane,"  replied  Mrs.  Norton. 

About  half  past  seven  in  the  evening  I  decided 
that  Trix  and  I  had  better  go  back  to  our  hotel. 
Mrs.  Norton  urged  us  to  stay  all  night,  but  I  felt 
that  there  would  be  a  houseful  should  Mr.  Jack 
return.  Antoinette  had  already  gone  upstairs  with 
her  mother. 

"When  shall  you  begin  to  worry?"  I  asked  Mrs. 
Norton,  as  we  said  good-by. 

"I  don't  intend  to  worry.  I  have  a  stirring  novel, 
and  if  I  can  keep  Mrs.  Jack  from  worrying  all  will 
go  well.  It  isn't  as  though  this  fire  were  an  unex- 


A  Forest  Fire  Near  Los  Angeles          59 

pected  danger  that  would  leap  up  at  them.  They 
can't  miss  it,  and  they  don't  have  to  stay  with  itz 
as  the  real  fire  fighters  do." 

It  was  nearly  midnight  when  the  'phone  in  my 
room  rang.  My  windows  were  on  the  north  side, 
and  I  could  see  the  dull  red  in  the  sky,  toward  the 
mountains.  I  was  glad  to  hear  the  'phone,  and  more 
than  glad  when  the  Doctor's  voice  came  from  the 
other  end. 

"We're  here,  and  safe,  and  we'll  be  right  home. 
I  certainly  feel  like  a  wretch  to  have  kept  you  worry 
ing  all  this  time.  Forgive  us.  We'll  be  right  back 
as  soon  as  we  can  get  a  taxi." 

"Where's  the  auto?"  I  asked. 

"In  ashes  on  the  mountain,  I  guess." 

And  I  had  to  wait  twenty  minutes  before  the  wan 
derers  returned  to  explain  the  fate  of  the  car.  They 
were  so  hungry  that  they  simply  had  to  be  fed  before 
answering  questions,  although  Mary  could  hardly 
eat  in  her  eagerness  to  tell  me  all  about  it.  Dave 
was  half  asleep,  and  rolled  into  bed  after  drinking 
a  glass  of  milk. 

"Well,  we  certainly  saw  the  fire,"  laughed  Mary. 
"Mother,  it  was  wonderful  and  terrible,  and  I  al 
most  wish  I  hadn't  seen  it.  We  brought  Mr.  Jack 
back  with  us.  He's  so  nice,  Mother,  and  such  fun. 
But  he  ought  not  to  have  stayed  so  long.  You  see, 
he  couldn't  tell  from  his  house  how  near  the  fire 
was  coming.  But  we  could.  And  besides,  we  were 
told  by  one  of  the  rangers.  We  just  had  to  go  after 
him." 

"But  how  about  the  car?"  I  asked.     "And  how 


60  Mary  in  California 

did  you  get  home?  And  Mary,  you  simply  must  go 
to  bed.  It's  after  twelve." 

uBut  I  want  to  tell  you.  I  can't  sleep,  any 
way." 

"You've  had  your  fun  to-day,  Mary,"  said  her 
father.  "Now  go  to  bed,  even  if  you  can't 
sleep." 

"We  will  all  go  soon,"  I  added.  "But  I  must 
hear  about  the  car  first." 

"We  did  not  realize,"  began  the  Doctor,  "just 
how  bad  things  were;  there  was  such  a  heavy  pall 
of  smoke  over  everything.  It  was  getting  pretty 
hot,  and  I  felt  that  we  ought  not  to  go  on  much 
farther.  I  was  worried  a  little  about  the  children, 
and  I  knew  you  would  be  troubled.  The  road  was 
in  perfectly  good  condition,  but  of  course  we  couldn't 
see  far  ahead.  It  was  evident  that  the  canon  was  in 
a  bad  position,  though.  Mr.  Norton  was  worried 
about  his  nephew.  Of  course  he  might  have  left, 
but  we  had  not  met  him.  Then  we  met  a  car  coming 
down,  with  a  couple  of  men  in  it,  rangers.  They 
advised  us  to  go  back.  Mr.  Norton  asked  if  there 
were  any  men  up  in  the  camps  or  cottages  above. 
The  rangers  answered  that  they  had  seen  a  couple 
of  men  up  there,  one  of  them  they  believed  was  a 
Mr.  Ferris.  That  was  Norton's  nephew.  We  asked 
if  they  were  coming  down  or  were  staying  to  try  to 
save  things.  The  rangers  didn't  know.  They  told 
us,  however,  that  two  of  the  bridges  were  down 
farther  on.  We  held  a  council  of  war. 

"I  regretted  the  presence  of  Mary  and  Dave 
more  than  I  can  say.  I  felt  that  Mr.  Norton  wanted 


A  Forest  Fire  Near  Los  Angeles          61 

to  push  on  to  find  his  nephew,  but  did  not  think  he 
ought  to  risk  it  with  the  children.  There  did  not 
seem  to  be  any  immediate  danger.  We  were  running 
very  slowly.  The  air  was  heavy  with  smoke,  and  as 
I  said  before,  we  could  not  see  far  ahead  of  us. 
There  was  a  continuous  low  roar  in  our  ears,  but  I 
could  realize  that  it  was  not  loud  enough  to  mean 
that  the  fire  was  very  near. 

"At  that  moment  of  indecision,  we  heard  shouts 
and  saw  a  man  running  toward  us  down  the  road. 
He  seemed  pretty  much  excited.  As  he  came  nearer, 
Mr.  Norton  called  out,  'Jadd'  I  confess  I  was 
relieved.  Now  we  need  go  no  farther.  Ferris 
called,  'Where  are  you  going?'  as  soon  as  he  came 
near  enough  to  be  heard.  He  was  dirty  and  dishev 
eled,  and  looked  tuckered  out.  He  told  us  to  get 
away  just  as  quick  as  possible. 

"We  turned  around,  but  even  during  the  few  min 
utes  that  it  took  us  to  turn  things  seemed  to  happen. 
The  roaring  suddenly  increased,  the  smoke  about 
half  a  mile  below  us  seemed  suddenly  to  lift,  and  a 
long  flame  shot  across  the  road.  I  certainly  cursed 
my  foolishness  in  coming  there  with  the  children. 
Mr.  Norton  looked  pretty  white.  Jack  Ferris  ran 
down  the  road  a  little  way  to  see  if  we  could  make 
a  run  for  it.  There  didn't  seem  to  be  much  fire  fol 
lowing  the  first  blaze.  We  saw  him  beckon  to  us. 
There  was  so  much  noise  we  could  not  hear  well. 
Fortunately  for  us,  it  had  been  a  sort  of  freak  fire 
that  had  run  across  the  road,  a  sort  of  finger  from 
the  main  fist  that  was  devastating  the  land  about. 
We  could  go  on.  But — the  finger  had  written  on 


62  Mary  in  California 

our  path  and  the  bridge  was  gone.  We  tried  to  get 
the  car  around,  but  could  not  get  it  up  the  far  side. 
So  we  abandoned  it,  and  climbed  up  ourselves  over 
the  still  glowing  path  of  the  flames.  Fortunately  we 
all  had  heavy  boots  on. 

"When  we  got  back  on  the  road  again  we  started 
down  the  hill  on  a  dogtrot.  We  had  not  gone  more 
than  a  mile  when  we  heard  shouts  again,  and  were 
overjoyed  to  meet  the  two  rangers,  who  had  warned 
us  so  short  a  time  before.  They  had  seen  the  fire 
leap  across  the  road  from  below,  and  had  come  back 
fearing  for  our  safety.  We  all  piled  into  their  small 
car.  It  was  getting  dusk  by  that  time,  owing  partly 
to  the  heavy  smoke.  We  could  also  plainly  see  the 
flames  in  the  canon  above  us. 

"The  two  rangers  expressed  their  opinion  of  us 
pretty  forcibly,  and  I  guess  they  were  right.  I  am 
sure  Norton  and  I  felt  like  a  couple  of  old  fools. 
But  I  know  he  was  mighty  glad  to  have  picked  up  his 
nephew.  We  got  away  out  of  the  danger  zone,  and 
the  farther  we  got  the  more  dangerous  it  looked. 
When  we'd  gone  quite  a  way  down,  we  came  to  a 
crossroad,  and  then  the  rangers  said  they  would 
have  to  leave  us.  They  were  going  in  a  different 
direction.  I  think  they  said  up  to  San  Fernando  or 
somewhere. 

"There  was  nothing  for  it  but  to  pile  out  and  start 
home  on  foot.  I  certainly  felt  like  more  kinds  of  a 
fool.  If  only  Mary  and  Dave  had  stayed  at  home. 
The  kids  were  fine.  They  laughed  and  sang  songs, 
and  Ferris,  having  swallowed  some  of  his  indignant 


A  Forest  Fire  Near  Los  Angeles  63 

astonishment  at  our  being  there  at  all,  joined  in.  So 
we  trudged  along,  packing  our  troubles  in  our  old 
kit  bag,  or  'Marching  as  to  War/  or  'Taking  Our 
Walking  Shoes.'  Just  as  it  began  to  be  dark  in  real 
earnest,  we  were  picked  up  by  a  motor  truck  that  had 
been  taking  fire  fighters  and  shovels  to  some  other 
part  of  the  conflict. 

"The  two  men  in  charge  certainly  were  nice  to  us. 
They  thought  we  were  homeless  refugees,  and  we 
made  Ferris  answer  all  their  questions,  because  he 
really  had  cause  to  be  there.  He  told  them  and  us, 
too,  how  he  had  done  everything  to  save  his  cottage, 
but  after  doing  all  he  could  had  taken  the  most  valu 
able  possessions  and  buried  them.  He  could  see 
from  the  upper  story  that  a  streak  of  fire  was  gaining 
some  headway  below  him,  so  he  left  in  haste.  The 
truck  took  us  to  Pasadena,  which,  by  the  way,  looks 
like]  Herculaneum  almost,  it  is  so  covered  with 
ashes.  In  Pasadena  we  hired  a  taxi,  and  came  back 
alive  and  hungry,  as  you  see,  and  hoping  to  be  for 
given.  " 

"I  must  say,  I  think  Mr.  Norton  ought  to  be 
hanged,  drawn,  and  quartered,"  I  said.  "The  idea 
of  his  getting  you  into  such  a  predicament." 

"I  suppose  at  first  he  thought  there  was  no  danger, 
and  when  he  found  there  was,  he  only  thought  of  his 
nephew.  But  I  know  he  feels  pretty  bad  about  it.  I 
imagine  Mrs.  Norton  will  tell  him  what  she  thinks 
of  it." 

"I  hope  she  does.    If  she  doesn't,  I  will." 

"Is  the  contrary  true?"  asked  the  Doctor. 


64  Mary  in  California 

"Meaning  that  if  she  does,  I  shouldn't?    I  won't 


promise." 


"But  it  all  ended  all  right,"  pleaded  the  Doctor. 
"And  it  was  a  wonderful  experience.  Mary  and 
Dave  will  never  forget  it.  Think  how  they'll  talk 
about  it  to  the  boys  and  girls  at  home." 


CHAPTER  V 

LOS  ANGELES 

/X^  HE  pall  of  smoke  still  hung  over  the  city  when 
•*•  we  were  awakened  late  the  next  morning  by 
the  telephone.  The  Nortons  were  anxious  to  know 
how  we  were  and  when  we  planned  to  leave,  and 
would  we  not  take  a  drive  with  them  that  morning? 

"I  am  afraid  your  wife  will  think  that  you  have 
taken  enough  drives  with  me.  But  Mrs.  Norton 
wishes  to  take  the  helm  this  time,"  said  Mr.  Nor 
ton's  voice  over  the  'phone. 

"Well,  if  she  drives  maybe  you  can  persuade  the 
Madame  to  go,  but  you  will  have  to  make  your 
peace  with  her,"  replied  the  Doctor  laughingly. 

"What  do  you  say?"  he  added,  turning  to  me. 
"Will  you  take  a  drive  if  Mrs.  Norton  drives?" 

"Really,  I  don't  see  the  joke,"  I  answered. 

"Oh,  Mother,  come  on,  be  a  sport.  Let's  have  a 
drive.  We  are  not  going  to  Santa  Barbara  till  after 
lunch."  This  from  Mary,  who  had  poked  her  head 
in  at  the  door  at  the  sound  of  our  voices. 

"All  right,  providing  we  go  nowhere  near  the 
fire,"  I  answered. 

So  the  plan  was  made  to  go,  and  in  about  an  hour 
the  Nortons  arrived  in  a  big  touring  car.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  "Jack"  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Norton  were  in  it, 
but  somehow  room  was  found  for  our  five  as  well. 

65 


66  Mary  in  California 

Trix  and  I  sat  in  front  with  Mrs.  Norton,  and  the 
rest  piled  in  back. 

Mrs.  Norton  began  at  once  to  condemn  the  rash 
ness  of  the  trip  of  the  day  before,  and  presently  I 
found  myself  more  reconciled  and  more  ready  to 
forgive  Mr.  Norton.  t 

Mary  and  Dave  were  evidently  so  full  of  excite 
ment  and  joy  at  the  thought  of  the  danger  they  had 
run  that  I  began  to  feel  a  little  proud. 

"Mother,  just  think  of  going  into  a  real  forest 
fire  and  rescuing  somebody,"  cried  Mary. 

"Meaning  me?"  laughed  Mr.  Jack.  "You 
know  I  think  you  needed  rescuing  quite  as  much  as  I. 
But  if  you  want  some  real  thrillers,  you  should  have 
heard  some  of  the  yarns  I  was  told  down  town  this 
morning." 

"Please,  please  tell  us,"  begged  Mary. 

"Well,  two  men  up  in  the  Pocoima  Canon  worked 
for  two  days  to  save  some  houses.  They  started 
back  fires — " 

"What  are  back  fires?"  asked  Mary. 

"I  know,"  broke  in  Dave. 

"Tell  us,  then,"  said  his  father. 

"Why  they  dig  up  the  ground  and  make  a  trench 
where  nothing  could  burn." 

"Who  is  'they,'  and  why  could  nothing  burn?" 

"The  fire  fighters,  of  course.  Nothing  could  burn 
because  earth  won't  burn  and  they  leave  no  grass 
or  bushes  or  trees  in  the  cleared  place.  They  make 
it  long  and  in  the  direct  path  of  the  forest  fire.  Then 
they  start  another  fire,  the  back  fire,  in  front  of  the 
trench.  The  flames  haven't  anything  to  burn  in 


Los  Angeles  67 

back,  so  they  go  forward  and  meet  the  real  fire. 
When  they  meet  they  go  out.  The  men  have  to 
watch  the  side,  though,  and  be  ready  with  their 
shovels  to  whack  out  any  spreading  flames. " 

"That's  a  good  description,  Dave,"  said  Mr. 
Jack.  "Now,  then,  as  you  can  imagine,  it  was 
quite  hard  work  for  these  two  men  to  dig  and  dig 
steadily  for  several  days.  One  of  the  men  put  a  lot 
of  valuable  things  in  his  fireplace,  and  packed  them 
in  with  fifty  bags  of  cement.  The  fire  was  burning 
just  above  them,  and  they  could  hear  the  roar  of  the 
flames.  Suddenly,  a  great  rock  was  dislodged  by  the 
burning  of  its  bed  of  bushes,  and  came  tumbling 
down,  bringing  some  hot  embers  with  it.  Instantly 
the  woods  started  burning  below  the  house,  and  it 
took  several  hours  of  hard  work  to  get  it  out. 

"In  another  place  fifty  fire  fighters  were  almost 
trapped.  They  had  been  working  hard  with  their 
shovels  to  keep  back  the  fire  in  front  and  at  the 
side,  when  suddenly  one  man,  stopping  to  rest, 
turned  around  and  saw  that  the  fire  had  crept  in  be 
low  them  and  they  were  entirely  surrounded  by 
flames. 

"They  worked  like  mad  to  keep  their  island  of 
safety;  some  of  them  were  scorched  by  the  heat  and 
one  fellow  had  his  shoes  burned  off  his  feet.  The 
heat  was  terrible.  But  somehow  they  managed  to 
beat  back  their  enemy  until  the  fire  died  down  on  one 
side  enough  to  enable  them  to  escape  to  a  safer 
place." 

"I  don't  think  I'd  like  to  be  a  fire  warden,"  said 
Mary.  "We  were  quite  near  enough  yesterday." 


68  Mary  in  California 

We  drove  over  to  Pasadena,  "just  to  show 
Mother  the  ashes,"  as  Dave  explained.  The  smoke, 
too,  was  heavier  here,  and  a  long  red  tongue  of  flame 
could  be  seen  occasionally  leaping  across  some  ditch 
or  small  canon  up  in  the  mountains. 

"We  can't  see  Mt.  Lowe,"  said  Mr.  Norton.  "It 
is  so  high  that  the  snow  comes  early  on  it  and  stays 
till  late  in  the  spring.  So  while  the  folks  here  in 
Pasadena  are  celebrating  their  wonderful  rose  festi 
val  on  the  first  of  January,  an  hour  or  so  away  other 
people  are  skiing  and  snowshoeing  and  coasting." 

"I  hate  to  think  of  all  those  beautiful  trees  up  on 
the  hills,"  said  Mrs.  Norton.  "Let's  go  back.  It 
is  too  much  like  a  battlefield  full  of  wounded  and 
dying.  We'll  take  in  the  Los  Angeles  mission,  and 
then  have  an  early  lunch.  The  mission  is  not  nearly 
as  beautiful  as  the  one  at  Santa  Barbara  which  you 
are  soon  to  see,  but  it  is  interesting  historically." 

"What's  a  mission?"  asked  Trix. 

"Mary,  what  is  a  mission?"  said  the  Doctor. 

"Well,  I  thought  a  mission  was  a  number  of 
Christian  people  going  to  the  heathen  as  mission 


aries." 


"Trix,  do  you  understand?" 

"No,  what  are  heathen?" 

"I  think  we'll  just  talk  about  missions  now  and 
forget  about  the  heathen.  The  missions  of  Cali 
fornia  were  houses  like  churches,  Trix,  built  some 
thing  like  the  New  Mexican  adobe  churches.  They 
were  built  a  long  time  ago  by  Spanish  priests  who 
wanted  to  teach  the  Indians  how  to  be  Christians 
and  tell  them  about  the  Lord  Jesus.  They  gathered 


Los  Angeles  69 

all  the  Indians  of  the  neighborhood  together  and 
had  schools  for  the  children,  and  taught  the  men  and 
women  all  sorts  of  useful  things.  But  first  of  all 
they  taught  them  to  pray.  When  the  mission  bells 
rang  every  Indian  stopped  his  working  and  said  his 
prayers." 

"Oh,  Daddy,  that's  like  the  Angelus  picture," 
cried  Mary.  "The  Angelus  called  the  French  peas 
ants  to  pray." 

We  found  the  quaint  old  Los  Angeles  mission 
building  with  its  bell  towers. 

"It  is  not  as  perfect  as  some  of  the  others,  but  it 
is  one  of  the  oldest,"  said  Mr.  Norton.  "Our  beau 
tiful  mission  buildings  were  all  going  to  rack  and 
ruin  when  Helen  Hunt  Jackson  got  interested  in 
Indians  and  historical  things  generally,  and  wrote 
'Ramona.'  A  number  of  public-spirited  people  then 
formed  a  club  to  preserve  our  old  landmarks." 

Presently  we  returned  to  the  Nortons'  house,  and 
while  we  were  waiting  for  lunch  we  wandered 
through  the  big  gardens,  with  their  orange  and  prune 
trees.  There  were  still  some  ripe  plum-prunes  hang 
ing  from  the  lower  branches,  large  and  luscious. 
Mary  said  she  liked  them  much  better  this  way,  but 
Dave  and  Trix  agreed  that  they  preferred  them 
dried,  the  way  they  came  at  home. 

"You  can  see  them  being  dried  all  over  this  part 
of  California  and  nearly  as  far  as  San  Francisco," 
said  Mrs.  Norton,  "if  it's  drying  you  want, — great 
fields  of  them,  with  their  owners  praying  on  every 
side  that  the  Lord  will  hold  back  the  rains  till  the 
drying  is  over. 


70  Mary  in  California 

"But  come,  here  is  Wu  to  tell  us  lunch  is  ready." 

Sure  enough,  in  the  door  stood  a  pleasant-faced, 
quiet  old  Chinaman,  without  his  Chinese  costume,  in 
spotless  white,  only  wearing  the  noiseless  Chinese 
slippers. 

Presently,  as  we  sat  at  lunch,  Mary  whispered  to 
me,  "Mother,  he  has  a  cord  round  his  neck  just  like 
the  one  my  ring  is  on." 

"Nonsense,  Mary,"  I  answered  softly. 

"But  it's  true,"  she  insisted.  "I  just  caught  a 
glimpse  of  it.  Now  look,  when  he  bends  over  to 
scrape  the  crumbs  from  the  table." 

Then  I  did  notice  at  the  back  of  the  man's  neck 
just  a  glimpse  of  a  narrow  cord,  black  and  red,  like 
the  one  El  Lobo  had  worn. 

"I  wish  Mr.  Norton  would  ask  him  what  it  is. 
Maybe  he  knows." 

When  the  servant  went  out  to  get  the  dessert, 
Mary  whispered  to  Mr.  Norton,  uDo  you  know 
what  the  cord  is  the  Chinese  man  who  waits  on  the 
table  wears  around  his  neck?" 

"What  color  is  it?"  said  Mr.  Norton. 

"Black  and  red,  very  curiously  woven." 

"I  don't  know.  They  have  quantities  of  secret 
societies.  But  they  really  keep  them  secret.  One 
thing  is  sure,  though.  Anything  a  Chinaman  wears 
means  something.  How  about  it,  Jack?  You  know 
more  about  such  things  than  I  do." 

"Why,  I  think  there  is  some  ancestral,  back  to 
China,  society,  several  thousand  years  old,  that  has 
a  red  and  black  insignia.  I  believe  they  have  a  queer 
sort  of  animal  for  a  mascot  or  totem  symbol.  It  is 


Los  Angeles  71 

anti-foreign  and  anti-Jap.  Its  chief  strength  lies  in 
China.  Naturally,  the  men  over  here  don't  care  so 
much.  They  have  a  legend  about  a  winged  animal 
and  a  maiden — " 

At  that  moment  the  silent  Wu  entered,  bringing 
in  a  wonderful  pastry  filled  with  whipped  cream. 

"I  hear  they  have  gathered  a  harvest  of  rattle 
snakes  up  in  the  mountains,"  said  Mr.  Norton,  turn 
ing  the  conversation.  "The  oil  contained  in  their 
bodies  is  quite  valuable.  In  one  place  more  than  a 
hundred  were  discovered,  their  skins  uninjured  by 
the  fire.  Some  say  the  smoke  smothered  them. 
Others  again  say  they  bite  themselves  to  death  to 
keep  from  being  burned." 

"Huh,"  said  Dave.  "I  don't  believe  they  bit 
themselves.  How  could  they?  Don't  they  always 
strike,  after  rearing  up?" 

"Well,  I  am  not  sure  that  they  would,  even  if  they 
could,"  remarked  Jack  Ferris. 

"What  do  you  think,  Wu,  do  the  rattlers  kill 
themselves  when  they  are  threatened?" 

The  servant  shook  his  head.  "Snakes  very  wise," 
was  his  only  remark.  "Rattlesnake  he  not  so  wise. 
He  talk  too  much.  Wise  fellow  strike  and  kill  with 
out  telling." 

With  these  words  Wu  disappeared  kitchenward. 

"Well,"  said  Mr.  Norton,  "it  looks  as  though 
friend  Wu  heard  what  we  were  saying  about  Chinese 
secret  societies.  How  did  you  happen  to  ask  about 
the  cord,  Mary?"  he  added. 

"That's  too  long  a  story  to  tell  now,"  interrupted 
the  Doctor,  "especially  after  Wu's  gentle  hint." 


72  Mary  in  California 

As  we  returned  to  the  hotel,  "Mary,"  said  her 
father,  "where  do  you  keep  the  ring?" 

"In  a  little  box  in  my  bag.  I  sort  of  hate  to  wear 
it  after  El  Lobo — I  mean  the  cord  and  all.  He  was 
so  dirty." 

"I  think  I'll  take  charge  of  it,"  said  the  Doctor. 
"I  can  keep  the  little  box  in  an  inside  pocket.  But 
I  believe  I'll  send  it  back  East  or  put  it  in  a  bank 
for  safe-keeping  in  San  Francisco." 

"Oh,  Dad,  put  it  in  the  bank.  Don't  send  it  by 
mail  again." 

"All  right,  the  bank  be  it.  But  for  goodness'  sake 
don't  ask  any  more  questions  about  cords  and 
things." 

Early  that  afternoon  we  started  for  Santa  Bar 
bara.  The  windows  and  doors  of  the  train  were 
kept  shut,  but  in  spite  of  that,  the  fine  ashes  from 
the  forest  fire  sifted  in  and  the  air  was  hot  and  thick. 

"I  have  always  wanted  to  see  Santa  Barbara,"  I 
said.  "I  think  of  it  as  the  land  of  flowers." 

"Well,  you  may  not  see  as  many  of  them  as  you 
hoped  for  at  this  time  of  the  year.  It  is  apt  to  be 
dry,  and  the  flowers  absent.  But  this  has  been  such 
an  unusual  summer  with  so  much  rain  that  we  may 
get  some  flowers.  At  least  we  can  see  the  lovely 
trees  and  houses.  I  have  planned  to  stay  at  a  quaint 
hotel  outside  of  Santa  Barbara  right  near  the  beach. 
You  wanted  to  see  Santa  Barbara  because  of  the 
flowers.  Well,  ever  since  I  was  a  youngster  I've 
wanted  to  see  the  Cave  of  the  Devils,  or  whatever 
it  is  called,  out  on  Santa  Cruz  Island  off  the  coast 
here.  I've  read  of  it  and  heard  of  it  and  seen  pic- 


Los  Angeles  73 

tures  of  it  and  imagined  it.    And  by  Jingo,  to-mor 
row  I  am  going  to  get  a  launch  and  go  over  and  see 


it." 


"Won't  you  take  us,  Dad?"  asked  Dave. 

"I  won't  consider  going  without  you!"  laughed 
the  Doctor.  "Hurrah  for  the  bounding  main  to 
morrow!  And  then  the  day  after  we  go  on  to 
Frisco." 

We  had  passed  the  smoke  of  the  Los  Angeles 
fires  by  this  time,  and  were  passing  through  rolling 
country  with  brown  hills,  and  the  high  blue  moun 
tains  of  the  Sierras  to  the  far  east.  To  the  west  lay 
the  great  Pacific  Ocean,  and  as  we  approached  Santa 
Barbara  we  could  catch  glimpses  of  it  below  us,  roll 
ing  in  on  the  sandy  beaches,  with  a  white  edge  of 
surf. 

We  got  out  at  a  little  station  just  south  of  Santa 
Barbara,  and  went  over  to  the  comfortable  and  pic 
turesque  hotel,  spread  out  in  one-story  bungalows. 
Great  palms  reared  their  heads  among  the  high  trees, 
giving  the  grounds  a  strange  appearance. 

The  rooms  assigned  to  us  were  farthest  away 
from  the  dining  room  in  the  main  building.  The 
sound  of  the  surf  on  the  shore  could  be  heard  quite 
plainly,  although  it  was  too  far  to  see.  Each  room 
had  a  door  that  opened  on  to  the  grounds. 

"It  would  be  very  safe  in  case  of  fire,"  suggested 
Mary. 

"But  how  about  burglars?"  asked  Dave. 

"There  are  none,"  I  answered  quickly. 

It  had  been  a  hard  day,  so  after  we  had  eaten  a 
delicious  supper,  Dave  and  Trix  retired.  Indeed, 


74  Mary  in  California 

Mary,  the  Doctor,  and  I  soon  followed  them.  The 
Doctor  and  I  had  the  farthest  room,  then  came  Dave 
in  a  small  room,  and  lastly  Mary  and  Trix. 

"Be  sure  you  lock  your  door,  Mary,"  were  our 
last  good-night  words. 

"She  has,"  called  Trix  from  beneath  the  covers. 

It  must  have  been  after  midnight  when  I  was 
awakened  by  hearing  conversation  in  the  children's 
rooms.  The  Doctor  arose  and  went  in  to  see  what 
the  trouble  was.  It  seemed  that  Trix  had  awakened 
and  thought  she  saw  some  one  moving  in  the  room. 
She  called  to  know  if  it  was  Mary,  but  Mary  had 
evidently  been  asleep.  The  Doctor  laughed  at  her, 
but  Trix  stuck  to  her  tale.  Her  father  examined 
the  room  and  found  nothing  gone. 

"But  why  did  you  not  lock  your  door?"  he  asked. 
"We  told  you  to." 

"I  did,"  said  Mary. 

"She  did,"  echoed  Trix. 

"Well,  it's  unlocked  now.  You  must  be  mis 
taken,  and  only  thought  you  locked  it.  At  any  rate, 
I  have  bolted  it  now  and  we  will  leave  the  doors  in 
between  the  rooms  open.  So  try  to  go  to  sleep." 

I  am  afraid  it  was  some  time  before  the  children 
followed  this  good  advice.  We  could  hear  Trix 
exclaiming  from  time  to  time  that  she  was  sure  she 
saw  something.  But  finally  every  one  quieted  down. 

"It  was  strange  about  that  door,  though,"  said 
the  Doctor. 


CHAPTER  VI 

SMUGGLERS  ON  THE  CHANNEL  ISLANDS 


'T^HE  next  morning  Trix  was  questioned  as  to  the 
•*•  intruder  of  the  night  before.  But  sleep  seemed 
to  have  removed  all  but  the  vaguest  recollections. 
She  was  sure  there  had  been  some  one  moving  in 
the  room,  that  was  all.  The  Doctor  reported  it  to 
the  hotel  clerk  after  breakfast  and  then  proceeded 
to  find  out  how  we  could  best  hire  a  launch  to  go  out 
to  the  island  of  Santa  Cruz.  It  was  decided  to  go 
in  to  Santa  Barbara  first,  see  the  mission,  and  drive 
about  the  town  and  take  a  boat  from  there. 

It  was  a  perfect  day,  with  a  calm  blue  sea  stretch 
ing  forever  toward  the  west.  Santa  Barbara  ap 
peared  like  a  foreign  town  with  its  bright  sunlit 
streets,  its  palms  and  gardens,  its  charming  low-built 
houses.  The  mission  was  just  as  we  had  always 
pictured  it.  The  two  towers  with  their  bells,  the 
smooth  walls,  the  gardens  and  grounds,  all  seemed 
to  speak  of  California's  early  days,  the  days  of  the 
worthy  fathers  who  braved  untold  dangers  to  do 
their  duty  as  they  saw  it.  Only  the  church  was  open 
to  the  ladies  of  the  party,  and  we  did  not  see  the 
mysterious  '"forbidden  gardens."  I  would  have 
liked  to  linger  and  talk  to  the  old  Franciscan  who 
piloted  us  about  and  showed  us  relics  in  the  church. 
But  some  of  the  party  were  impatient,  and  before  I 

75 


7 6  Mary  in  California 

knew  it,  almost,  we  were  embarked  in  a  little  launch 
and  speeding  out  over  the  Pacific. 

The  town  of  Santa  Barbara  smiled  out  on  us  from 
its  background  of  brown  hills  and  wished  us  a  pleas 
ant  journey,  I've  no  doubt. 

"Who  was  Father  Serra?"  asked  Mary.  "That 
priest  in  there  at  the  mission  spoke  of  him  several 


times." 


"He  was  one  of  the  pioneer  missionaries  of  the 
Franciscan  order,"  I  answered.  "He  lived  in  the 
early  part  of  the  eighteenth  century,  and  gave  up  a 
brilliant  career  in  Spain  and  Mexico  to  tramp  thou 
sands  of  miles  on  foot  to  preach  to  the  Indians. 
There  is  a  story  that  once  when  water  was  scarce 
and  every  one  else  was  complaining,  some  one  asked 
the  worthy  padre  if  he  did  not  suffer  from  thirst. 
He  replied  that  he  had  found  a  secret,  which  was  to 
eat  little  and  talk  less,  so  as  not  to  waste  the  saliva. 

"He  always  traveled  on  foot,  as  that  was  the  rule 
of  his  order.  And  besides,  he  could  get  into  more 
friendly  relations  with  the  Indians  that  way.  Of 
course  he  could  not  carry  supplies,  and  had  to  de 
pend  largely  on  the  generosity  of  the  savages  as  he 
called  them." 

"It  seems  queer  that  the  whites  and  Indians  didn't 
stay  good  friends,"  said  Mary.  "They  began  right." 

"The  trouble  came  when  the  whites  decided  that 
the  earth  belonged  to  them,  and  that  their  red 
brothers  had  no  rights  at  all  except  to  a  place  in 
heaven,"  replied  her  father.  "Of  course  there  were 
some  cruel  savages,  our  old  friends  the  Apaches  and 
others.  But  when  one  thinks  of  what  our  race  has 


Smugglers  on  the  Channel  Islands          77 

done  to  the  Indians  the  wrongs  seem  mostly  on  the 
other  side.  And  the  worst  of  it  is  that  the  cruelty 
of  the  whites  came  from  their  desire  for  gold  and  for 
wealth.  There  was  absolutely  no  excuse  for  it." 

"Daddy,  what's  that?"  interrupted  Trix. 

"What's  what?" 

"Over  there,  like  a  big  mountain." 

"That's  the  nearest  of  the  island  group,  Ana- 
capa,"  said  the  man  who  was  running  the  launch, 
Captain  Danforth.  "It  is  really  three  islands,  but 
from  here  it  looks  like  one." 

"How  much  farther  is  Santa  Cruz?"  asked  the 
Doctor. 

"Oh,  quite  a  bit  from  here.  Anacapa  is  about 
halfway." 

"What  are  you  going  to  see  on  the  island?"  asked 
Dave. 

"Are  we  going  to  have  a  picnic?"  demanded 
Trix. 

"We  are  going  to  have  a  picnic  and  we  are  going 
into  a  big,  big  cave,  much  bigger  than  the  one  in 
New  Mexico.  And  we  are  going  to  see  sea  lions 
and  hear  the  strangest,  most  awful  noises  you  ever 
heard!"  answered  her  father. 

"What  are  sea  lions?"  asked  Dave.  "Just  what 
do  they  look  like?" 

"I  know,"  said  Mary.  "I  saw  some  trained  ones 
last  year.  They  played  ball  with  their  noses.  They 
are  such  funny-looking  creatures,  with  black  shiny 
bodies  and  tails  and  big  mouths  and  queer  flapper 
arms.  And  my,  they  make  the  biggest  noise.  And, 
oh,  they  spit!" 


78  Mary  in  California 

"You  used  to  give  a  lively  representation  of 
one,  didn't  you,  in  your  youth?"  I  said  to  the 
Doctor. 

uNow  don't  recall  my  early  sins!"  he  replied. 

"Daddy,  do  it  I"  begged  Mary. 

And  "Daddy,  do  it,"  clamored  Trix  and  Dave. 

"I  am  afraid  I  would  upset  the  boat,"  answered 
their  father.  "You  wait  till  you've  seen  the  real 
ones.  Then  maybe  I'll  do  it  for  you." 

We  passed  the  wild  rocky  shores  of  the  Anacapa 
Islands,  where  the  surf  broke  on  the  cliffs  in  white 
foam  even  on  such  a  calm  day  as  this. 

"It  looks  a  little  like  the  Maine  coast,"  said  the 
Doctor. 

"I  bet  it  would  be  fun  to  climb  on,"  remarked 
Dave.  "Aren't  there  lots  of  caves  and  things?"  he 
asked  Captain  Danforth. 

"The  island  we  are  heading  for  has  the  caves," 
was  the  reply. 

"They  say  Drake  came  here  in  the  old  days  when 
he  sailed  the  Spanish  Main,"  added  the  Doctor. 
"And  pirates  and  buccaneers  used  to  hide  their  booty 
on  Santa  Cruz." 

"Aren't  you  thinking  of  the  islands  in  the  West 
Indies?"  I  asked. 

"There  were  pirates  and  smugglers  here  too, 
Ma'am,"  said  our  skipper.  "And  they  do  say  that 
many  a  Chinaman  has  come  in,  not  so  long  ago,  by 
way  of  these  islands." 

"Oh,  Dad,  what  fun!  Why  shouldn't  he  come 
in?"  asked  Dave. 

"Under  the  Chinese  Exclusion  Act  only  certain 


Smugglers  on  the  Channel  Islands          79 

classes  of  Chinese  were  allowed  to  enter.  Both 
Chinese  and  Japanese  laborers  have  made  them 
selves  unpopular  here." 

"Why,  Daddy?"  Mary  demanded. 

"Why  is  it,  Captain  Danforth?  You're  a  native, 
tell  the  children." 

"Me  a  native?  I  came  from  Cape  Cod  thirty 
years  ago.  I'm  no  native.  But  they  are  right  about 
the  Japs  and  the  Chinese.  They  live  on  rice  and 
work  twenty  hours  a  day.  And  how  can  a  union 
man  and  a  white  man  keep  up  with  them?  Why 
can't  they  stay  at  home?" 

"You  didn't,"  remarked  Dave. 

Captain  Danforth  from  Cape  Cod  puffed  on  his 
pipe  for  a  moment.  "But  I  don't  live  on  rice,"  he 
remarked  presently.  "Nor  I  don't  work  twenty 
hours  a  day." 

"I  bet  you  don't,"  laughed  Dave. 

"Dave,  you  are  not  being  polite,"  I  said. 

And,  "You're  too  fresh,"  said  Mary. 

"Don't  you  worry,  the  boy  made  a  catch  that 
time,  Ma'am,"  observed  our  skipper.  "But  I'll  get 
even  with  him  yet.  So  look  out  for  squalls,  young 
man,"  he  added,  turning  to  Dave. 

"Do  you  know  anything  about  Chinese  secret  so 
cieties,  Captain  Danforth?"  asked  Mary. 

"Me?  Why  should  I  know  anything  about  'em? 
As  long  as  they  wash  my  shirts  for  me,  I  don't  care 
what  they  belong  to.  Let  them  have  their  unions. 
No,  I  don't  know  anything  about  them.  Except  as 
I  was  saying  before,  I've  been  told  some  get  in  by 
way  of  these  islands  that  don't  belong  here." 


8o  Mary  in  California 

"I  suppose  you  never  brought  a  boatload  over, 
did  you?"  asked  the  Doctor. 

"Me — what  would  I  want  with  a  boatload  of 
Chinamen? — or  whiskey  either,"  he  added  with  a 
grin. 

"Oh,  Mother,"  whispered  Mary,  "do  you  suppose 
he  smuggles  in  drinks  and  things?" 

"Mother,  I'm  thirsty,"  broke  in  Trix,  who  had 
caught  the  words  but  not  their  meaning.  "Where 
is  something  to  drink?" 

"Oh,  Trix,  can't  you  wait  till  we  have  lunch  on 
the  island?"  said  Mary. 

The  Doctor  took  out  the  thermos  bottle  and  pro 
ceeded  to  serve  out  the  water.  Then  came  a  cry  for 
food. 

"I  am  hungry,  Mother,"  said  Dave. 

"So  am  I,"  echoed  Trix. 

A  box  of  crackers  was  opened.  "No  more  now 
till  lunch,"  was  the  order. 

"Not  even  one  sandwich?"  begged  Dave. 

"Not  a  crumb.  Look,  Trix,  we  are  approaching 
our  island." 

"That  north  end  where  you  see  that  high  mountain 
is  Point  Diablo,"  remarked  Captain  Danforth. 
"It's  under  that  end  that  the  Painted  Cave  is  located. 
Shall  we  go  straight  there,  Sir?" 

"Let's  eat  lunch  first,"  was  the  chorus. 

"All  right,  Skipper,"  said  the  Doctor.  "Land 
us  in  a  good  place  to  cook  our  bacon  and  we'll  take 
in  the  cave  afterward.  Hullo,  isn't  that  a  boat  out 
there  before  us?" 

"  'Pears  to  be,  a  fishing  launch  I  reckon.  Or  maybe 


Smugglers  on  the  Channel  Islands  81 

after  sea  lions.     They  catch  them  here  occasionally 
for  museums." 

A  large  launch  was  anchored  off  the  east  coast  of 
the  island  and  several  small  boats  seemed  to  be  ply 
ing  between  it  and  the  shore. 

"Are  they  fishermen?"  asked  Dave. 

uDo  you  see  those  big  wooden  cages  floating  in 
the  water?"  asked  Captain  Danforth,  replying  in 
true  Cape  Cod  fashion  with  another  question. 
"They  keep  the  sea  lions  in  them  until  they  get 
enough  to  bring  their  catch  ashore.  I  thought  they 
were  lion  catchers,"  he  added. 

"Maybe  we  can  see  them  catch  one  of  the  sea 
lions,"  cried  Dave.  "How  do  they  do  it?" 

"Well,  a  lot  of  cow  punchers  get  together  and 
drive  the  creatures  back  into  some  cave  where  they 
can't  get  away.  When  the  sea  lion  is  cornered  he 
will  fight,  you  bet.  As  soon  as  they  start  to  attack, 
they  are  roped,  just  like  steers,  by  the  lariat  throw 
ers.  Then  they  are  dragged  out  and  put  in  the 
cages  till  enough  good  ones  are  caught,  when  all 
hands  are  piped  aboard  and  the  captured  sea  lions 
are  taken  back  to  the  mainland.  It's  pretty  danger 
ous  work  and  sometimes  the  catchers  have  to  beat 
a  quick  retreat.  Often  the  sea  lions  will  bite  or  tear 
the  rope  and  get  away.  They're  a  queer  lot.  Al 
ways  screeching  and  fighting  among  themselves. 
They  sound  like  crazy  creatures." 

Our  boat  had  by  this  time  got  within  hailing  dis 
tance  of  the  large  launch. 

"That  skipper  there  is  a  friend  of  mine,"  observed 
Danforth.  "I  thought  they  were  hunting  sea  lions. 


82  Mary  in  California 

He  doesn't  appear  to  have  caught  any  yet,  though. 
Yes,  there's  one  in  that  cage.  Look  there,  boy." 
And  Dave  looked,  as  .did  all  the  rest  of  us. 

Sure  enough,  in  one  of  the  floating  cages  was  a 
screaming  black  thing,  shining  and  slippery,  and 
churning  the  water  with  its  tail. 

uPoor  thing,  why  don't  they  let  it  go?"  said  Mary, 
while  Trix  clung  to  her  father  and  whispered,  "I 
am  scared." 

"Had  any  luck?"  called  Danforth  to  a  rough- 
looking  man  on  the  other  boat. 

"Just  one.  We're  waiting  till  later,  or  maybe 
early  to-morrow  morning  to  get  a  real  catch." 

"Good  luck  to  you,"  called  Danforth.  "I  am 
here  on  a  picnic.  We  go  back  soon." 

Then  we  proceeded  on  our  way  and  anchored  in 
a  large  cave,  part  of  which  was  on  land  and  part 
over  the  water.  Captain  Danforth  then  took  us 
ashore  in  the  rowboat  that  had  trailed  astern  of  us. 

While  the  bacon  was  cooking  over  a  fire  that  the 
Doctor  made,  Mary,  Dave,  and  Trix  wandered  back 
on  a  trail  that  led  up  from  the  cave  into  a  canon. 
They  were  gone  some  time,  and  lunch  was  ready  and 
I  beginning  to  get  troubled  before  they  returned. 
Finally  we  heard  cries  of  joyous  excitement,  and 
they  rushed  down  into  the  cave,  Dave  first,  with 
Mary  helping  Trix  in  the  rear. 

"Oh,  Dad,  we  found  a  wonderful  cave,"  cried 
Mary.  "We  followed  the  trail  till  it  started  up  a 
very  high  place  and  we  decided  not  to  take  it.  So 
we  struck  off  on  a  sort  of  ledge,  and  by  and  by  we 
found  a  split  in  the  rocks.  We  looked  through  this 


Smugglers  on  the  Channel  Islands          83 

and  found  there  was  a  big  cave  below  us.  It  was 
pretty  dark,  so  that  we  could  only  faintly  see  things. 
But  there  must  have  been  some  water  and  some  land 
from  the  sound  of  it.  And,  oh,  Dad,  we  do  want 
to  explore  it  from  the  water  side.  It  looked  awfully 
big  and  spooky." 

"Maybe  it  was  the  Painted  Cave,"  suggested  the 
Doctor. 

"Which  direction  is  that  in?"  asked  Dave. 

"There  has  never  been  an  opening  found  to  that," 

served  Captain  Danforth. 

"Let's  have  our  lunch  first,  anyway,"  I  said. 

"We  tied  a  handkerchief  to  a  rock  on'top  so  we'd 
know  it  from  the  water,"  said  Dave. 

"You'll  never  see  that  from  the  water  below," 
laughed  Danforth.  "Why,  those  rocks  some  of 
them  are  fifteen  hundred  feet  from  the  water." 

When  the  last  crumb  was  eaten,  Mary  and  Dave 
wanted  to  take  the  rowboat  and  explore.  But  the 
Doctor  insisted  that  the  Painted  Cave  should  be 
seen  first. 

"Can  we  all  go  in  the  boat  at  one  time?"  he  asked 
the  Captain. 

"Sure,  the  children  don't  take  up  much  room," 
was  the  reply. 

So  we  rowed  north  along  the  coast  till  we  came 
to  a  great  arched  rock,  the  entrance  to  the  cave. 
The  place  was  huge,  and  the  walls  apparently 
painted  by  some  giant  hand  in  yellows,  reds  and 
browns,  and  other  colors. 

"Mother,  who  did  it?"  cried  Dave.  "Isn't  that 
eautiful?" 


84  Mary  in  California 

"The  salt  in  the  water  did  it,"  said  the  Doctor. 
"I  don't  know  just-why  it  does  it  here  and  nowhere 
else  in  these  coast  caves  of  Santa  Cruz.  It  cer 
tainly  is  wonderful.  But  I  had  always  heard  there 
were  strange  noises  too." 

"Wait  till  you  get  into  the  back  cave,"  said  Cap 
tain  Danforth.  "You  are  sure  the  kids  won't  be 
scared?"  he  added. 

"What  would  scare  them?"  asked  the  Doctor. 

"Well,  the  noises  and  the  dark  and  the  sea  lions 
in  there.  Of  course  there's  nothing  that  would  really 
hurt  them.  But  it's  sort  of  jumpy." 

"What  do  you  say,  Trix,  will  you  be  scared?" 

"I  want  to  go,"  answered  Trix  emphatically. 

At  the  back  of  the  cave  was  a  black  hole  at 
the  edge  of  the  water  that  seemed  to  be  about  the 
size  of  the  boat  we  were  in.  When  a  large  wave 
rolled  into  the  cave,  the  hole  would  be  completely 
hidden.  But  during  the  few  moments  between 
the  bigger  waves  the  Captain  pushed  our  boat 
quickly  through  the  hole  and  in  a  moment  we  were 
in  absolute  darkness  except  for  the  spot  of  light 
that  marked  our  place  of  entrance.  We  were 
greeted,  too,  by  terrifying  moans  and  shrieks  and 
wails. 

Trix  clung  to  me,  and  I  felt  that  she  should  not 
have  come.  But  in  a  moment  Captain  Danforth  held 
aloft  a  great  flaming  torch,  while  the  Doctor  called 
"Good  morning,"  in  a  loud  voice,  that  echoed  and 
reechoed  about  us. 

"No  one  knows  how  deep  it  is  here,"  remarked 
Danforth.  "It's  about  one  hundred  feet  high." 


Smugglers  on  the  Channel  Islands          85 

"What  are  the  noises  ?"  asked  Dave  in  rather  a 
small  voice. 

"It's  the  water  echoing  in  the  caves,"  replied  his 
father.  "There  are  lots  of  small  caves  and  entrances 
that  we  cannot  see,  but  through  which  the  waves  hiss 
and  roar.  It  certainly  is  a  queer  place.  Look  at 
those  sea  lions." 

For  our  torch  had  startled  some  of  these  great 
;  beasts,  who  floundered  about  in  the  water  and  spread 
i  fiery  sparkles  of  phosphorescence  as  they  swam 
about. 

"Let's  go  back,"  said  Mary.  "It's  awfully 
spooky." 

"What  if  the  waves  filled  the  entrance  forever  and 
we  couldn't  get  out?"  asked  Dave,  as  a  great  mass 
of  water  covered  up  the  light  which  marked  the 
place  where  we  had  come  in. 

"It  couldn't,  on  a  calm  day  like  this,"  said  Dan- 
forth.  "But  if  you  are  ready  to  go,  this  is  a  good 
chance." 

"Let's  go  now,"  cried  Trix. 

So  our  skipper  pushed  out  after  the  retreating 
wave,  and  we  were  out  in  the  sunlight  and  beauty  of 
the  outer  cave  again. 

"I  didn't  like  it  in  there,"  said  Trix,  who  looked 
rather  pale. 

"Now  can  we  find  our  cave?"  asked  Mary. 

"What  do  you  want  to  do?"  said  her  father. 

"Why,  won't  you  come  with  Dave  and  me  till  we 
find  the  place  we  saw  this  morning?  We  can  go 
in  the  rowboat  while  Mother  and  Trix  fix  up  the 
lunch  things  and  wait  for  us.  We  won't  be  long." 


86  Mary  in  California 

"All  right,  but  we  must  hurry.  When  do  we  have 
to  start  back,  Skipper?" 

"We  ought  to  start  about  three-thirty,"  was  the 
answer. 

"Well,  it's  not  quite  three  now,  so  let's  go  at 


once." 


Captain  Danforth  landed  with  Trix  and  me,  and 
the  three  others  went  off  in  the  boat,  much  to  Trix's 
disgust,  although  she  seemed  to  have  had  enough 
of  caves  for  the  present. 

Danforth  seemed  to  be  uneasy,  and  the  later  it 
got  the  more  he  fidgeted  about  and  wondered  where 
the  others  were. 

"Surely  nothing  can  have  happened  to  them,"  I 
said. 

"You  never  can  tell,"  he  answered  gloomily,  and 
Trix  kept  saying  "I  wish  they  would  come,"  or 
"Why  doesn't  Dave  come  and  play  with  me?" 

It  was  nearly  four  when  we  heard  a  call  and  the 
sound  of  oars. 

"Here  they  come,"  cried  Trix. 

Sure  enough,  the  boat  appeared  at  the  entrance. 

"Oh,  Mother,"  cried  Dave,  "we  found  the  cave 
and  we  found  a  wounded  man  too!" 

"What  do  you  mean?"  I  asked. 

"He'd  fainted  and  Dad  fixed  him  up.  He  was  in 
the  cave,"  said  Dave. 

"And  he  had  a  cord  around  his  neck  like  mine, 
red  and  black,"  cried  Mary. 

"Hush,  children,  don't  talk  too  much,"  said  the 
Doctor  sharply. 

The  next  moment  he  brought  the  boat  ashore.    In 


Smugglers  on  the  Channel  Islands          87 

the  bottom  lay  the  motionless  form  of  a  man,  in  a 
sort  of  uniform,  hatless.  The  face  was  white  and 
rather  clean  cut. 

Danforth  examined  him  with  us.  Round  the  neck 
was  a  red  and  black  cord. 

"Where  is  he  hurt?"  I  asked,  while  Trix  said,  "Is 
he  killed,  Dad?" 

"He  seems  to  have  a  fractured  skull,"  answered 
the  Doctor,  "and  to  be  in  rather  bad  shape.  I  must 
get  him  back  as  soon  as  possible  to  Santa  Barbara, 
so  we  had  best  start  right  off,  Skipper." 

"Who  do  you  think  it  is?"  asked  Mary. 

"I  imagine  it's  a  revenue  officer  of  some  sort," 
said  the  Doctor,  watching  Captain  Danforth  keenly 
as  he  spoke. 

The  Captain  was  busy  helping,  and  if  he  felt  any 
surprise,  did  not  show  it.  He  helped  the  Doctor  get 
the  wounded  man  aboard  the  launch,  and  then  came 
back  for  us,  leaving  the  Doctor  to  work  over  his 
patient.  In  a  very  short  time  the  anchor  was  up 
and  we  had  started.  The  launch  belonging  to  the 
fishermen  was  nowhere  to  be  seen. 

"I  would  like  to  have  asked  them  about  this  fel 
low,"  observed  Danforth.  "I  think  I  ought  to. 
They'll  be  wanting  to  know  all  about  it  at  Santa 
Barbara,  I  reckon." 

"I  think  we  can  make  our  own  report,"  said  the 
Doctor,  rather  sharply. 

We  sped  along,  but  the  Captain  seemed  uneasy. 
He  poked-around  the  machinery  and  finally  examined 
the  gasoline  tank. 

"I  am  afraid  we  had  better  put  back,"  he  said. 


88  Mary  in  California 

"I'm   almost  out  of  gasoline.     There   must  be   a 
leak.    Those  fellows  on  the  other  boat  will  lend  me 


some." 


The  Doctor  stood  up.  "Listen  to  me,  my  man,"  he 
said  in  a  cool  tone.  "You  have  plenty  of  gas,  and 
you  don't  need  to  go  back.  In  fact,  you  will  get  us 
to  Santa  Barbara  in  record  time  or  I'll  know  the 
reason  why.  I  can  run  a  boat  myself,  if  necessary, 
and  I  have  a  little  argument  in  my  pocket  here  which 
I  don't  want  to  use  except  in  the  last  resort." 

The  Captain  scowled,  but  made  no  reply.  Again 
we  sped  on. 

Suddenly  the  wounded  man  lifted  up  his  head,  and 
muttered,  "Did  you  get  him?  The  Chinaman?" 
Then  he  half  opened  his  eyes.  "Where  am  I?"  he 
asked. 

"You  are  in  the  hands  of  a  doctor,  who  orders 
you  to  keep  still,"  was  the  answer. 

The  eyes  closed  and  the  man  sank  back. 

So  we  rushed  through  the  blue  water,  Mary, 
Dave,  Trix,  and  I  in  the  bow  of  the  boat,  and  Cap 
tain  Danforth  in  the  stern.  The  Doctor  sat  in  the 
center,  with  one  eye  on  the  wounded  man  and  the 
other  on  the  skipper,  while  he  held  under  his  coat 
the  pistol  I  remembered  now  to  have  urged  his  buy 
ing  before  we  left  Boston. 

It  was  a  swift  trip,  but  it  seemed  like  hours.  Cap 
tain  Danforth  apparently  had  no  thought  but  to  bring 
us  safely  to  shore.  The  wounded  man  did  not  stir. 
But  Trix  was  full  of  questions  and  wanted  to  know 
again  and  again  about  the  finding  of  the  revenue 
officer. 


Smugglers  on  the  Channel  Islands          89 

"We  had  rowed  for  some  little  time  along  the 
rocky  coast,  broken  up  by  canons  and  caves,"  began 
her  father.  "Finally  we  came  to  a  place  that  Mary 
said  might  be  the  one  they  had  looked  down  at.  We 
rowed  part  way  in  and  then  found  rocks,  as  usual. 
The  cave  seemed  unusually  narrow  and  long,  but  we 
could  see  a  shaft  of  light  in  the  back,  possibly  the 
opening  found  by  Dave  and  Mary.  Dave  wanted  to 
get  out,  so  he  took  off  his  shoes  and  stockings  and 
crawled  along  on  the  rocks  till  he  got  to  shore. 
Presently  he  called  out  that  he  had  found  something, 
and  would  I  bring  a  light.  I  managed  to  get  in 
nearer  and  followed  him  with  my  flash  light. 

"Way  back  in  the  cave,  which  opened  out  into  a 
large  space,  was  this  revenue  officer,  lying  near  the 
blackened  sticks  of  an  old  camp  fire.  There  were 
some  bottles  and  things  about.  I  gave  the  man  a 
rapid  examination,  found  he  had  no  bullet  wounds 
on  him,  and  guessed  the  thing  had  been  done  by  a 
blow  from  the  back,  as  his  head  was  badly  hurt.  He 
was  alive  though,  breathing  heavily.  Around  his 
neck  was  the  cord,  and  when  I  loosened  it  he 
breathed  more  easily.  We  had  a  hard  time  getting 
him  to  the  boat,  but  we  did,  and  here  we  are  taking 
him  to  Santa  Barbara  as  quickly  as  possible. 

"Now,  Trix,  don't  ask  any  more  questions." 

"Will  you  have  to  stay  on  and  give  your  testimony 
to  the  police?"  I  asked. 

"I  hope  that  can  be  done  to-night,"  was  the  brief 
reply.  "I  want  to  mix  in  as  little  as  possible." 

"But  the  men  who  did  this  ought  to  be  punished," 
said  Mary  indignantly. 


90  Mary  in  California 

"I  am  sure  I  hope  they  will  be." 

Our  arrival  at  Santa  Barbara  created  great  excite 
ment.  The  Doctor  bade  us  take  a  taxi  out  to  the 
hotel,  where  he  would  join  us  as  soon  as  possible. 

"I  shall  take  Dave,  because  he  found  the  man," 
he  added. 

He  had  paid  off  Captain  Danforth,  without  a 
word  on  either  side.  As  we  got  into  our  taxi  we  saw 
the  skipper  put  to  sea  again,  with  a  wave  of  his  hand. 

uHe  seems  to  have  plenty  of  gasoline,"  said 
Mary,  as  we  drove  off. 

It  was  almost  dark  by  the  time  we  reached  the 
hotel,  lying  among  the  tall  trees,  its  friendly  lights 
shining  to  welcome  us.  We  were  all  hungry  and  ate 
a  substantial  supper,  and  then  retired  to  our  rooms. 
Trix  was  so  tired  that  she  went  to  bed,  where  she 
lay  contentedly,  while  Mary  read  "Raggedy  Ann" 
aloud  to  her.  The  day  had  been  an  exciting  one 
indeed  for  such  a  child.  Even  I  found  "Raggedy 
Ann"  soothing  and  a  pleasant  change. 

Finally  Mary,  protesting  and  indignant,  also  re 
tired,  after  several  games  of  double  canfield.  At 
about  ten  we  heard  the  voices  of  Dave  and  the 
Doctor.  We  sat  down  in  my  room,  Mary  joining  us 
in  her  wrapper,  to  hear  the  story  of  the  night's 
adventure. 

"But  first  of  all  have  you  had  supper?"  Mary 
asked. 

uYes,  indeed,  in  one  of  the  swellest  hotels  in  Santa 
Barbara.  Oh,  Yum !  They  had  wonderful  things," 
cried  Dave. 

"Now  tell  us  what  happened,"  I  said. 


Smugglers  on  the  Channel  Islands          91 

"Well,  a  policeman  got  an  ambulance  for  us.  He 
recognized  the  man  as  a  revenue  officer  who  had 
been  working  along  the  coast  trying  to  get  some 
bootleggers  and  smugglers  of  Chinese.  It  seems 
they  come  in  through  Mexico,  and  are  brought  up 
by  fishing  boats  to  these  islands." 

uOh,  Dad,  the  sea-lion  boat!"  cried  Mary. 

"Exactly  so !  And  I  shrewdly  suspect  our  friend 
Captain  Danforth  knows  more  about  it  than  he  was 
telling.  At  any  rate,  we  took  the  man  to  a  hospital, 
for  if  I  am  right,  it  will  be  quite  a  while  before  the 
poor  fellow  tells  any  story  himself,  if  he  ever  does. 
That  was  a  nasty  crack  on  the  head.  Then  we  went 
to  the  police  station,  where  I  told  my  story,  aided 
by  Dave.  It  was  all  taken  down  in  good  order,  in 
cluding  my  suggestion  that  those  fellows  we  had 
seen  that  day  might  need  watching.  I  told  them  of 
Captain  Danforth's  rapid  departure  also,  and  they 
said  they  had  had  their  eye  on  him  for  a  long  time. 

"Then  they  put  us  up  at  a  hotel  for  supper,  and 
here  we  are.  We  can  go  to-morrow,  provided  I  re 
turn,  if  necessary,  later.  Now,  Mary  and  Dave,  go 
right  to  bed  and  lock  and  bolt  your  doors  lest  the 
Bogyman  get  you." 

After  some  little  discussion  the  children  retired, 
but  I  fear  they  stayed  awake  for  a  while. 

"This  is  a  great  life  for  children  to  lead,"  I  said. 
"Can't  we  ever  settle  down  to  a  peaceful  existence 
like  other  people?" 

"I  really  am  getting  superstitious,"  answered  the 
Doctor.  "I  believe  that  until  we  lose  Mary's  ring, 
we  will  live  in  an  atmosphere  of  adventure.  I  asked 


92  Mary  in  California 

the  police  officer  about  the  red  and  black  cord,  and 
he  told  me  a  bit  more  about  it.  It  is  the  insignia  of 
a  secret  society,  down  on  foreigners  and  just  now 
especially  anti-Japanese.  It  is  very  old,  and  has  its 
greatest  strength  in  China  itself.  But  naturally 
some  of  its  spies  and  scouts  have  to  go  about  in 
other  countries.  They  come  in  via  Mexico  and, 
apparently,  the  Channel  Islands.  Just  now 
smugglers  are  bringing  in  whiskey  and  spirits  from 
Mexico,  so  that  the  two  help  each  other. 

"This  revenue  officer,  Brown,  has  been  on  the 
track  of  the  Chinese  business  for  some  time.  He 
had  been  hanging  around  the  island  of  Santa  Cruz 
until  he  came  to  grief;  how,  he  will  have  to  tell  us 
himself.  It  is  the  custom  of  this  Chinese  society  to 
decorate  its  victims  with  the  red  and  black  cord, 
which  is  also  worn  by  the  members  who  are  chosen 
to  kill  certain  enemies. 

"I  asked  the  Chief  whether  he  knew  of  any  ring 
being  mixed  up  in  it.  He  told  me  that  he  had  heard 
vague  rumors  from  one  of  their  Chinese  revenue  offi 
cers.  The  totem,  or  symbol  of  the  society,  is  a 
curious  winged  beast,  something  like  the  one,  .1 
imagine,  on  Mary's  ring.  The  story  is  that  during 
some  foreign  invasion  of  China,  the  royal  princess 
was  borne  away  from  danger  by  a  winged  creature,  I 
suppose  a  sort  of  dragon,  and  carried  to  a  high 
mountain.  Whereupon  a  flood  descended  and  wiped 
out  a  lot  of  the  invaders.  The  land  was  repeopled 
by  the  sons  of  the  dragon  and  the  princess. 

"The  head  of  this  secret  society  therefore  wears 
a  ring  to  symbolize  the  marriage  of  the  dragon  and 


Smugglers  on  the  Channel  Islands          93 

the  princess,  and  the  red  and  black  cord  indicates 
death  to  foreigners.  It  seems  that  long,  long  ago, 
when  another  invasion  took  place,  some  of  the  flee 
ing  Chinese  passed  over  a  western  sea  and  brought 
the  ring  to  a  far  country,  where  it  disappeared.  So 
another  ring  was  made,  and  carefully  preserved  and 
handed  down  from  leader  to  leader.  But  it  is  death 
for  any  but  the  leader  to  wear  the  ring. 

"Now,  my  dear,  my  vote  is  that  Mary's  ring  be 
consigned  to  perdition.  There  may  be  nothing  but 
nonsense  in  this  long  yarn,  and  we  are  in  modern 
America  and  not  ancient  China.  Nevertheless,  it 
should  go,  I  think." 

"Let  us  put  it  in  the  bank  in  Frisco,"  I  answered. 
"If  there  is  any  truth  at  all  in  the  story,  the  ring 
must  be 'immensely  old  and  valuable  to  antiquarians. 
But  I  agree  with  you  that  the  sooner  it  is  out  of  our 
hands,  the  better.  Do  you  suppose  some  one  really 
came  into  the  children's  room  last  night?" 

"I  don't  know,  my  dear.  But  I  shall  leave  our 
connecting  doors  open  and  run  no  chances.  I  have 
an  idea  that  Danforth  owes  me  a  grudge  for  this 
day's  work.  I  will  be  glad  to  get  away  from  here  in 
the  morning." 


CHAPTER  VII 

OVER  THE  TRAIL  OF  THE  PADRES  TO  MILLS  COLLEGE 

TPHAT  night  the  Doctor  made  several  trips  from 
•*•  one  sleeping  room  to  another  to  be  sure  that 
all  was  well.  The  moon  cast  soft,  mysterious 
shadows  through  the  windows  and  the  great  trees 
whispered  strangely  in  the  breeze  outside.  The 
Doctor  was  gone  longer  than  usual  the  third  time, 
and  when  he  finally  returned  said  that  he  thought 
he  had  heard  a  noise  at  one  of  the  windows.  He  had 
waited  and  watched,  but  nothing  more  could  be  seen 
or  heard.  Finally,  as  the  first  light  of  early  dawn 
began  to  cheer  us,  we  fell  into  a  deep  sleep,  and 
would  have  missed  breakfast  and  train  both  had  not 
Trix  awakened  us. 

Dressing  and  packing  were  hurriedly  attended  to, 
and  presently  we  were  saying  good-by  to  Santa 
Barbara. 

"I  wish  we  could  have  driven  up  among  those 
beautiful  Santa  Inez  hills,"  said  the  Doctor,  as  we 
made  ourselves  comfortable  in  the  train.  "I  love  the 
brown  slopes  with  the  oaks  clinging  to  them.  I  al 
most  wish  we  had  taken  time  to  motor  up  'the  King's 
Road,'  which  follows  the  trails  of  the  padres  of  old. 
It  winds  in  and  out  by  the  sea,  among  the  hills,  and 
touches  the  various  missions.  It  would  not  take 

94 


Over  the  Trail  of  the  Padres  to  Mills  College     95 

long,  now  in  these  fast  cars,  though  it  took  the 
padres  a  day's  journey  from  one  mission  to  an 
other." 

"Well,  one  cannot  do  everything.  I  certainly  am 
not  sorry  to  get  away  from  the  neighborhood  of 
Captain  Danforth  and  that  spooky  hotel." 

"Daddy,"  asked  Mary,  "where  is  Death  Valley? 
Did  we  pass  it  on  our  way  here?" 

"No,  it  was  to  the  north  of  the  Santa  Fe  route. 
They  tell  me  it  is  a  horrible,  desolate  place." 

"Why  is  it  called  'Death  Valley'  ?"  asked  Dave. 

"That's  a  fairly  long  story,"  answered  his  father. 
"It  belongs  to  the  early  days  of  California.  Not,  of 
course,  to  the  time  of  the  Spanish  missions.  But  to 
the  days  of  the  pioneers. 

"You  have  seen  the  old  prairie  schooners.  Picture 
to  yourselves  a  party  setting  out  with  their  ox  teams 
attached  to  the  great  unwieldy  wagons.  Some  of 
the  men  probably  rode,  the  others  walked.  The 
women  and  children  drove  in  the  wagons  or  walked. 

"The  particular  pioneers  who  gave  Death  Valley 
its  name  were  themselves  nameless.  But  they 
started  out  from  some  Utah  settlement,  perhaps 
from  farther  east,  to  go  to  California,  then  the  true 
Promised  Land.  They  got  into  the  valley  and  lost 
all  traces  of  those  who  had  gone  before.  Nothing 
but  sand  lay  before  them,  and  the  hazy  blue  moun 
tains  beyond.  It  was  in  August,  and  even  hardened 
scouts  hate  to  try  that  valley  in  summer. 

"They  had  no  extra  supply  of  water,  for  they  did 
not  know  how  terrible  was  this  particular  desert. 
They  tell  me  that  men  can  only  survive  in  this  place 


96  Mary  in  California 

by  drinking  gallons  of  water  during  the  heat  of  the 
day,  when  the  sand  fairly  burns  like  coals  under  your 
feet.  These  poor  people  traveled  over  part  of  the 
valley,  and  then  perished  miserably  of  thirst.  Their 
bones  were  found  strewed  about  the  wrecks  of  the 
wagon*,  with  the  carcasses  of  their  faithful  animals 
beside  them.  Not  one  survived,  I  believe,  and  who 
they  were  no  one  knows.  But  Death  Valley  is  the 
name  of  that  terrible  place  ever  since. " 

"Why  did  people  want  so  much  to  go  to  Cali 
fornia?  I  mean,  what  made  them  brave  all  those 
dangers?"  asked  Mary. 

"Different  reasons.  And  of  course  you  must  re 
member  that  they  did  not  always  know  what  lay 
ahead  of  them.  They  came,  too,  from  hard  frontier 
life  and  were  used  to  dangers  and  rough  work. 

"At  first  came  the  homesteaders,  the  people  who 
were  looking  for  lands  to  cultivate.  They  had 
heard  of  the  beautiful  fertile  country  in  the  west, 
where  cultivation  was  easy  and  things  grew  almost 
of  themselves.  The  next  people  were  the  gold 
seekers  of  '49.  You  don't  need  to  be  told  why  they 
came.  But  I  think  I  have  told  enough  for  the 
present.  I  want  to  look  out  at  these  brown  hills 
we  are  climbing  and  say  good-by  to  this  part  of  the 
Pacific.  We  shan't  see  it  again  till  we  go  out  on  the 
west  side  of  San  Francisco,  which  may  be  some  time 
ahead." 

But  Trix  did  not  feel  interested  in  any  more 
scenery,  and  she  begged  for  a  game.  So  while  the 
Doctor  and  I  looked  out  of  the  window,  Dave  and 
Trix  were  soon  quarreling  over  "Parchisi"  and  Mary 


Over  the  Trail  of  the  Padres  to  Mills  College     97 

deeply  engrossed  in  "Ramona,"  that  appealing  story 
of  Indian  life. 

"I  wonder  if  they  ever  will  catch  those  fellows 
who  half  killed  the  revenue  officer,"  said  the  Doctor 
in  a  low  voice.  "Unless  they  reach  Santa  Cruz  be 
fore  Captain  Danforth,  I  don't  believe  they  will 
find  anything  this  trip.  I  am  convinced  that  our 
Cape  Cod  skipper  knew  considerable  about  what  was 
going  on  in  the  islands.  I  certainly  hope  I  shan't 
have  to  go  back  and  testify.  It  surely  will  be  good 
to  settle  down  to  work  at  Oakland  and  not  have 
sightseeing  and  hairbreadth  escapes  the  order  of 
the  day." 

"We  may  find  it  a  bit  hard  to  keep  house  in  a 
strange  place  for  such  a  short  time,"  I  sajd. 

"Yes,  but  we  are  lucky  to  have  a  house  at  all, 
they  tell  me.  Fortunately  one  of  the  faculty  is  on  a 
vacation  and  has  consented  to  our  using  his  place. 
How  will  you  like  Chinese  help?  For  I  suppose 
there  will  be  no  other  available." 

"Oh,  Daddy,  will  we  really  have  a  Chinaman  to 
be  our  cook?"  asked  Trix,  who  always  called  any 
household  help  a  "cook." 

"Yes,  my  dear,  and  he  will  probably  be  like  Chan 
Wang.  Do  you  remember? 

'  'He  stole  his  mother's  pickled  mice, 
And  threw  the  cat  in  the  boiling  rice, 
And  when  they'd  eaten  her,  said  he, 
"Me  wonders  where  that  mew-cat  be." ' " 

"Now,  Dad,  we  won't  have  to  eat  cats  and  mice," 
said  Dave. 


98  Mary  in  California 

"Cats  and  mice,  cats  and  mice,"  echoed  Trix. 

"No,"  I  said  firmly.  uAs  long  as  I  am  in  com 
mand  there  will  be  no  mice  eaten  except  by  the  cat, 
and  no  cats  eaten  at  all !" 

All  that  afternoon  we  traveled  through  rolling 
country,  with  the  quiet  brown  hills  to  the  west  of  us 
and  cultivated  lands  all  about  us.  Fruit  trees  were 
everywhere,  their  branches  hanging  low  with  the 
weight  of  plums,  peaches,  or  apricots. 

"I  wish  we  were  in  the  grape  country,"  said  Dave. 
"I'd  like  to  go  out  and  sit  under  a  vine  and  eat  and 
eat  and  eat." 

Toward  evening  we  reached  our  destination,  and 
got  out  at  a  branch  station  on  the  outer  edge  of  Oak 
land.  Here  we  were  met  by  an  automobile  and 
whisked  through  the  streets  out  into  the  country, 
with  its  brown  hills,  its  dull-colored  grass,  and  its 
huge  blue-green  eucalyptus  trees. 

The  house  we  were  to  occupy  lay  on  a  little  hill 
back  of  the  college.  We  found  Miss  Flaxman,  a 
member  of  the  faculty,  waiting  to  welcome  us,  the 
dining-room  table  set  and  dinner  hot  on  the  stove. 

"Why,  it's  like  coming  home !"  said  Mary. 

"That  is  just  what  we  wished  you  to  feel,"  said 
Miss  Flaxman.  "Will  you  be  too  tired,  Doctor,  to 
go  to  the  college  to-night?  It's  only  a  step.  One  of 
us  will  come  up  to  guide  you." 

"Surely;  I  want  to  begin  right  away  to  learn  about 
my  work,"  was  the  answer. 

"Then  some  one  will  come  f  or  you  at  about  seven. 
But  you  are  sure  you  will  not  need  to  rest  to-night? 
And  perhaps  your  wife  will  want  some  help?" 


Over  the  Trail  of  the  Padres  to  Mills  College     99 

"No,  indeed,"  I  answered.  "We  will  not  try  to 
unpack,  but  just  go  to  bed  early.  To-morrow  I  shall 
want  to  learn  a  lot  of  things,  about  housekeeping  and 
so  forth." 

"The  President  had  everything  sent  in  that  you 
would  need  for  breakfast,  I  think.  She  keeps  house, 
you  see,  and  has  children.  Most  of  the  rest  of  us 
live  in  dormitories.  Well,  I  won't  keep  you  now. 
But  we  will  see  lots  of  each  other  later,  I  hope." 
Then  Miss  Flaxman  took  her  departure,  and  we 
started  to  explore. 

The  house  seemed  to  be  a  pleasant,  comfortable 
one,  with  plants  in  many  of  the  windows.  There  was 
a  roomy  porch  from  which  we  could  look  down  over 
the  college  grounds  and  the  road  winding  between  its 
rows  of  tall  eucalyptus  trees.  Mysterious  they  were, 
with  their  long  drooping  leaves  and  their  strange 
musky  smell  of  the  East. 

"Oh,  Dad,  I  suppose  we'll  never  see  you  again 
now.  You'll  be  working  all  the  time,"  remarked 
Mary. 

"I  think  we  will  have  a  few  more  good  times  to 
gether,"  he  laughed.  "But  I  am  glad  to  get  back  to 
work.  I  wonder  when  my  lectures  will  begin.  Col 
lege  commenced  yesterday,  I  believe." 

"Will  there  be  any  children  for  me  to  play  with?" 
questioned  Trix. 

"Where  will  I  go  to  school?"  asked  Mary. 

"I  shall  make  many  inquiries  to-night,"  was  the 
reply.  "But  I  expect  to  take  Dave  down  to  a  fine 
open-air  boarding  school  the  first  chance  I  get,  which 
will  probably  be  next  Saturday." 


ioo  Mary  in  California 

"Oh,  Dad,  have  I  got  to  go  to  boarding  school?" 
Dave  asked. 

"Yes  siree.  You  don't  suppose  you  are  going  to 
hang  around  here  all  the  time,  do  you?" 

"I  thought  I  could  go  to  the  public  school,  with 
Mary." 

"I  think  boarding  school  is  best,"  his  father 
answered. 

At  seven  the  bell  rang.  Mary  ran  to  answer  it, 
with  Trix  and  Dave  following  closely,  and  we  heard 
cries  of  joy  and  enthusiasm  as  the  newcomer  was 
greeted. 

"Oh,  Mother,  it's  Winifred  Ransome,"  called 
Mary. 

We  were  all  genuinely  glad  to  meet  again  the  tall, 
dark-haired  young  girl  of  twenty-three  who  entered 
with  Dave  and  Trix  each  clinging  to  an  arm.  We 
had  known  her  well  in  a  summer  camping-out  in 
New  Mexico,  but  had  been  more  familiar  with  her 
in  riding  clothes.  Indeed,  I  hardly  recognized  her 
now  in  her  crisp  blue  dimity  dress. 

"I  had  forgotten  you  were  here,"  said  the  Doc 
tor.  "It  certainly  is  fine  to  see  you.  How  are  they 
all  at  home?" 

"I  am  a  senior  this  year,"  replied  the  girl.  "The 
family  are  well,  and  sent  their  love.  It  is  so  nice  to 
see  you  all  again." 

"Did  you  come  up  to  be  my  escort?"  asked  the 
Doctor. 

"I  did  indeed.  It  will  seem  like  old  picnics  in 
New  Mexico  to  be  acting  as  guide.  I  am  going  to 
all  your  lectures,  too,  Doctor." 


Over  the  Trail  of  the  Padres  to  Mills  College  101 

"That  is  an  awful  thought.  Then  maybe  you  can 
tell  me  when  I  am  to  begin." 

"To-morrow,  fourth  hour.  I  have  been  spread 
ing  your  fame." 

"Let  us  start  down  now.  I  am  anxious  to  meet 
the  President,  and  see  where  I  am  to  work.  Good- 
by,  everybody,  I'll  be  back  before  you  miss  me." 
So  the  Doctor  departed  with  Winifred. 

We  all  worked  together  over  the  dishes,  which, 
as  Mary  remarked,  had  been  economically  used  as 
far  as  numbers  were  concerned.  Camping  out  cer 
tainly  teaches  how  few  dishes  are  really  necessary. 
One  by  one  we  went  to  bed,  some  protesting  and 
some  eager  to  get  there. 

When  the  Doctor  came  in  about  ten  o'clock  he 
was  full  of  enthusiasm  for  the  campus.  He  de 
scribed  the  wonderful  old  "live  oaks"  and  the  pic 
turesque  eucalyptus  trees,  and  the  gardens. 

"You  will  all  love  it,"  he  said.  "And  the  Presi 
dent  is  so  delightful  and  cordial.  I  know  you  will 
enjoy  the  life  here  so  much  you  will  want  to  stay 
after  our  time  is  up." 

"I  don't  know  about  that,"  I  replied  sleepily. 
"But  I  know  my  time  is  up  for  being  awake." 

So  presently  all  were  at  rest  in  the  house  except 
the  cereal,  which  continued  cooking  in  the  fireless 
cooker. 

"It  seems  so  strange  to  wake  up  in  somebody  else's 
bed,  in  somebody  else's  kouse,  and  cook  at  somebody 
else's  stove,"  remarked  Mary  at  breakfast.  "I  think 
it's  going  to  be  lots  of  fun,  though.  When  do  I 
start  school?" 


IO2  Mary  in  California 

"The  schools  have  begun  already/'  answered  her 
father.  "But  I  have  arranged  for  you  to  start  to 
morrow  with  the  daughter  of  one  of  the  faculty. 
The  high  school  in  Oakland  is  very  fine,  I  am 
told.  But  you  will  have  to  be  up  betimes  to  get 
there." 

"Now  if  we  only  had  an  aeroplane, "  observed 
Dave.  "What  fun  it  would  be  just  to  scoot  to 
school.  You  know  they  have  gliders  now.  Wouldn't 
it  be  great  fun  to  get  one?  Boys  can  use  them." 

"Yes,  and  tumble  out  of  them,  too!"  exclaimed 
Mary.  "They  are  quite  dangerous,  aren't  they, 
Daddy?" 

"If  I  were  like  the  old  Quaker  I  would  respond, 
'Friend,  first  thee  telleth  a  lie  and  then  thee  asketh 
a  question.'  I  don't  believe  there  have  been  so  many 
accidents  with  gliders.  They  use  them  a  great  deal 
in  Germany,"  answered  her  father.  "Who  wants 
to  go  down  with  me  and  see  the  campus?  I  have 
my  first  lecture  at  about  eleven.  But  before  that 
I  would  be  glad  to  personally  conduct  people. 
This  afternoon  we  are  to  meet  some  of  the 
faculty." 

"All  of  us,  me  too  ?"  cried  Trix. 

"I  think  there  are  some  children  for  you  and 
Dave.  Mary  is  to  be  introduced  to  the  high-school 
girl  whose  name  I  cannot  remember.  Your  mother 
and  I  are  to  meet  some  of  the  faculty.  You  don't 
need  to  worry  about  clothes,  even  if  our  trunks  don't 
come  this  morning,"  he  added.  "Every  one  will  be 
in  working  togs." 

"If  we  are  all  to  go  down  this  afternoon  perhaps 


Over  the  Trail  of  the  Padres  to  Mills  College  103 

we  had  best  stay  at  home  this  morning  and  settle. 
I  suppose  you  haven't  heard  of  any  domestics,  have 
you?"  I  asked. 

"I  made  some  inquiries.  It  rests  between  an  aged 
white  female  who  is  something  of  a  character,  the 
mother  of  one  of  the  gardeners,  or  a  Chinaman.  I 
must  say  I  think  the  latter  would  be  more  fun.  He 
would  go  home  nights,  of  course." 

"I'd  like  to  see  just  how  much  of  a  character  the 
lady  is,"  was  my  reply. 

After  the  breakfast  dishes  were  washed  Trix 
and  Dave  departed  with  their  father,  while  Mary 
and  I  investigated  the  house  and  its  possibilities. 
Before  we  were  through  making  the  beds,  the  trunks 
arrived,  which  delighted  us  both. 

"Oh,  I'll  be  so  glad  to  get  some  fresh  things  to 
put  on,"  was  Mary's  exclamation.  "I  am  so  sick  of 
traveling  things." 

We  were  in  the  midst  of  unpacking  when  Mary 
said,  "Mother,  what  will  we  have  for  lunch?  We've 
gotten  so  used  to  going  to  the  dining  car  that  we've 
forgotten  about  planning  for  meals,  I  guess." 

At  that  moment  the  telephone  rang  and  Mary 
ran  to  answer  it.  Somehow  this  made  us  feel  very 
much  at  home,  to  have  a  telephone  of  our  own.  It 
was  the  Doctor  speaking.  He  suggested  that  we  had 
better  lunch  at  the  college  and  then  talk  over  sup 
plies  and  how  to  get  them. 

"Chapel  service  is  at  twelve,  just  before  lunch. 
Why  don't  you  come  down  to  that?  Dave  and  Trix 
will  show  you  the  way  to  the  hall  where  it  is  held. 
I  will  join  you  there  and  we  can  all  go  to  lunch 


IO4  Mary  in  California 

together.  The  President  will  be  glad  if  we  sit  at 
her  table." 

This  sounded  pleasant,  and  so  it  was  agreed.  At 
about  half  past  eleven  Trix  and  Dave  appeared,  very 
dirty  as  to  clothes  and  faces  and  hands. 

"It's  lucky  the  trunks  came,"  observed  Mary. 

In  a  wonderfully  short  time,  however,  we  were 
all  clean  and  properly  clad. 

"We  must  hurry,  Mother,"  said  Dave.  "It's  a 
long  way." 

So  we  hurried  down  the  hill  and  through  the 
back  entrance  to  the  college  grounds  where  the  car 
penter  shops  were  and  the  cows  and  chickens.  There 
were  flowers  everywhere,  in  spite  of  the  lateness  of 
the  season,  and  beautifully  kept  grass  plots,  a  re 
freshing  sight  to  us  who  were  used  to  the  green 
summers  of  the  East.  We  passed  many  buildings 
which  Trix  tried  to  name  for  us,  but  Dave  insisted 
that  we  hurry,  hurry.  There  were  pine  trees,  and 
tall  eucalyptus  trees,  their  trunks  strangely  colored 
in  pinks  and  yellows  and  blues.  And  in  front  of 
Lisser  Hall,  with  its  white  columns,  were  great 
palms.  But  most  of  all  I  loved  the  live  oaks,  with 
their  delicate  foliage  and  great  gnarled  and  twisted 
stems. 

The  Doctor  met  us  at  the  door  of  the  hall  and 
took  us  up  to  the  gallery.  It  was  a  pretty  sight  to 
see  all  the  young  girls  in  their  bright  summer  dresses. 

"It  looks  like  a  stained  glass  window,"  said  Mary. 

The  services  were  conducted  by  the  President, 
and  so  short  that  even  Trix  was  quiet  and  attentive. 
Then  we  walked  back  through  the  long,  straight 


Over  the  Trail  of  the  Padres  to  Mills  College  105 

eucalyptus  path  that  led  to  the  dormitory  where  we 
were  to  have  our  dinner.  In  the  heat  of  the  day  the 
smell  of  the  trees  suggested  all  sorts  of  strange 
oriental  perfumes. 

"The  eucalyptus  tree  did  not  always  grow  in  Cali 
fornia,"  the  President  told  us.  "The  seeds  were 
brought  here  from  Australia  by  William  Taylor  for 
his  wife  in  1863.  But  they  certainly  take  kindly  to 
this  soil.  And  we  Californians  love  them." 

"I  don't  wonder,"  said  Mary.  "The  colors  are 
so  pretty  and  queer." 

The  private  dining  room  where  we  ate  at  the 
President's  table  was  back  from  the  main  room,  but 
was  not  so  far  removed  that  we  could  not  hear  the 
chatter  of  the  girls  and  their  singing.  Fur  it  was  the 
custom  to  sing  many  songs  while  eating,  or  as  Dave 
said,  "between  eating."  Two  Chinamen  waited  on 
the  table. 

Trix  had  been  placed  next  to  the  President's  two 
small  boys,  one  of  them  her  age,  the  other  older.  A 
sudden  feeling  of  shyness  had  come  over  her,  and 
she  hardly  spoke.  At  first  she  would  hardly  eat 
either. 

Presently  Dave  said  in  a  loud  whisper,  "Trix 
thinks  it's  cats  and  mice,  so  she  won't  eat  anything." 
At  which  there  was  a  general  laugh. 

The  President  assured  her  that  it  was  chicken  and 
rice,  and  at  last  she  began  to  eat. 

After  lunch  Dave  and  the  three  younger  children 
disappeared.  Mary  was  to  stay  with  us  until  the 
end  of  high  school  brought  home  her  schoolmate 
to  be. 


io6  Mary  in  California 

"Isn't  the  parlor  beautiful?"  Mary  whispered  to 
me  as  we  stood  and  chatted  for  a  few  minutes.  "I 
love  the  red  wood  of  the  walls  and  that  great  black 
vase  with  the  chrysanthemums  in  it.  And  just  look 
at  the  pieces  of  Chinese  embroidery.  It  is  like  a 
place  in  a  story  book.  But,  Mother,  don't  have  a 
Chinaman  for  a  cook.  I'd  rather  have  a  woman. 
They  sort  of  scare  me." 

"I  think  a  woman  would  be  better,  too,"  I 
answered. 

Miss  Flaxman,  who  lived  in  that  dormitory, 
offered  to  take  us  up  to  the  lake,  so  we  wandered 
out  into  the  bright  sunshine.  The  lake  was  a 
little  distance  away  and  surrounded  by  eucalyptus 
trees. 

"What  makes  it  such  a  curious  color?"  asked 
Mary.  "It's  a  sort  of  robin's-egg  blue." 

"I  believe  some  copper  runs  into  it  and  colors  the 
water,"  answered  Miss  Flaxman.  The  girls  use  it 
for  swimming  and  picnics  and  fetes.  They  have 
their  commencement  pageants  here. 

"Usually  the  lake  is  not  full  enough  in  the  fall  to 
make  it  really  effective  as  a  stage  setting.  But  we 
have  had  so  many  early  rains  that  they  are  going  to 
repeat  a  pageant  in  November  that  was  given  in  the 
spring.  It  is  so  full  of  the  spirit  of  California  that 
the  girls  begged  to  be  allowed  to  give  it  for  the 
benefit  of  some  Oxford  visitors  who  are  to  be  with  us 
then.  It  will  take  the  place  of  our  usual  autumn 
Shakespeare  play  which  is  produced  in  the  Open 
Air  Theater.  Your  friend  Winifred  Ransome  is  to 
be  one  of  the  chief  characters." 


Over  the  Trail  of  the  Padres  to  Mills  College  107 

"Oh,  I  am  so  glad,"  said  Mary.  "What  fun  it 
will  be  to  see  her  act." 

"She  is  quite  talented,"  answered  Miss  Flaxman. 

We  went  back  through  that  part  of  the  garden 
which  was  set  aside  for  the  use  of  the  girls. 

"They  like  to  have  flowers  in  their  rooms,  and 
can  get  them  in  this  place,"  explained  Miss  Flaxman. 
"If  they  picked  them  all  over  it  would  soon  spoil  the 
looks  of  the  grounds.  But  here  they  can  cut  them  to 
their  hearts'  content,  and  have  to  bear  the  responsi 
bility  themselves  if  any  plants  are  broken  or 
crushed." 

Later  that  afternoon  we  met  many  of  the  faculty 
and  Mary  was  introduced  to  Cynthia  Farrell,  the 
daughter  of  the  professor  of  mathematics.  The 
two  went  off  together  to  make  better  acquaint 
ance  in  the  gymnasium,  while  I  discussed  housekeep 
ing  with  Mrs.  Farrell. 

As  a  result  of  this  talk,  the  "Character"  came  to 
see  us  next  morning.  She  was  an  old  German 
woman,  very  friendly,  quite  deaf  and  a  little  un 
certain  of  her  English.  But  she  was  spotlessly  clean 
and  agreed  to  do  all  our  work. 

"Of  course  I  vill  not  can  make  the  beds  if  I  do  the 
vashing.  And  you  vill  set  the  table,  yes?  The  little 
vun,  she  vill  help  old  Maria,  hein?  Und  old  Maria 
vill  gif  her  little  cakes  and  grapes  und  sweeties." 

So  old  Maria  was  engaged,  articles  were  signed, 
as  the  Doctor  put  it,  and  we  on  our  parts  agreed  to 
take  our  midday  meals  at  the  college  or  elsewhere, 
so  that  old  Maria  could  go  about  her  slow  but 
thorough  business. 


io8  Mary  in  California 

"Mother,  that's  the  tenth  time  she  has  dusted 
that  chair,  and  I  haven't  had  my  cereal  yet,"  Dave 
complained. 

"My  dear,  Maria  has  oiled  that  floor  till  my 
shoes  won't  stay  where  I  put  them  when  I  take  them 
off.  They  go  sliding  about  of  themselves,"  said  the 
Doctor. 

"Mother,  won't  you  tell  Maria  not  to  take  all  my 
books  and  papers  off  the  desk  and  put  them  into  my 
top  bureau  drawer?"  Mary  cried  disgustedly. 

But  the  clothes  that  Maria  washed  were  always 
spotless,  and  the  dishes  were  never  broken  and  the 
pots  and  pans  shone  and  the  glasses  sparkled.  So  I 
bade  all  have  patience. 

"Trix  has  never  been  so  clean  in  her  life,"  re 
marked  Mary. 

"I  hate  Maria,"  said  Trix.  "She  is  always  wash 
ing  me." 

"Yes,  but  she  gives  you  all  the  fruit  in  the  house 
and  buys  you  candy,  too,"  exclaimed  Mary.  "You 
ought  to  love  her." 

"You  get  a  few  goodies  yourself,  Mary,"  ob 
served  the  Doctor.  "And  now  I  feel  as  though  we 
were  settled.  But  I  will  miss  Dave  when  we  take 
him  to  school  to-morrow." 

The  conversation  just  recorded  took  place  three 
days  after  our  arrival. 

"What  time  do  we  start?" 

"Early, — muy  pronto,  as  our  Mexican  friends 
would  say.  I  hope  Maria  will  make  us  a  good  lunch 
to  take." 

"Humpf !     Maria !    Mother  and  I  will  make  the 


Over  the  Trail  of  the  Padres  to  Mills  College  109 

lunch.  Maria  would  have  to  stop  and  wash  the 
knife  between  each  sandwich, "  remarked  Mary. 

So  the  next  morning  we  started  bright  and  early, 
leaving  Trix  behind  with  Tom  and  Jack,  her  new 
friends.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Farrell  took  us  all  in  their 
big  car. 

It  was  a  long,  beautiful  drive  through  the  hills  and 
valleys.  We  stopped  from  time  to  time  at  wayside 
stands  where  tempting  apricots  and  peaches  were 
for  sale.  We  saw  the  prunes  lying  out  in  the  fields 
to  dry,  just  as  Mrs.  Norton  had  described  them. 

The  school  lay  high  in  the  hills,  and  Dave  was 
greatly  excited  to  find  that  the  boys  themselves  had 
put  up  some  of  the  buildings.  There  was  a  deep  pool 
out-of-doors  for  swimming,  and  in  another  place  a 
pond  among  the  trees  made  a  delightful  natural 
theater.  So  we  left  Dave,  happy  but  a  little  lone 
some,  and  returned  by  another  road,  along  the  coast, 
part  of  the  way,  where  the  great  green  waves  came 
tumbling  over  the  sand  or  broke  against  the  rocks, 
and  so  back  over  part  of  the  Lincoln  Highway, 
whose  other  end  begins  in  the  south  in  far-away 
Washington* 


CHAPTER  VIII 

THE  RING  CAUSES  EXCITEMENT — WE  VISIT  SAN 
FRANCISCO 

MOTHER,  can't  I  be  in  the  pageant?  Winifred 
wants  me  to,  and  Miss  Flaxman  says  I  can, 
and  Cynthia  is  going  to  be."  Thus  Mary  pleaded 
with  her  parent. 

"What  will  it  mean  as  far  as  rehearsals  are  con 
cerned,  and  when  will  the  performance  be?" 

"The  rehearsals  are  at  different  times,  but  we 
won't  have  to  go  to  them  all.  You  see,  we  are  just 
chorus.  It's  an  historical  pageant,  and  the  per 
formance  will  be  on  a  Saturday  afternoon." 

"I  don't  see  any  good  reason,  then,  for  your  not 
being  in  it,"  I  answered. 

"Hurrah!  May  I  'phone  Cynthia  right  away? 
Or  better  still,  can't  I  go  down  to  her  house?" 

"I  think  it's  pretty  late,"  I  answered,  "and  I  don't 
want  you  wandering  about  after  dark." 

"It  won't  be  dark  for  an  hour  yet.  Please  let  me. 
I'll  hurry  home." 

The  Doctor  was  out,  and  I  yielded.  The  Far- 
rells'  house  was  not  very  far  away. 

Trix  and  I  went  out  to  pick  some  flowers  in  our 
garden,  and  fed  the  rabbits  that  we  had  inherited 
from  our  landlord.  Finally  Trix  went  to  bed,  and 
it  began  to  grow  dark  in  earnest.  I  wondered  where 


no 


The  Ring  Causes  Excitement  in 

Mary  was.  I  happened  to  go  to  my  bureau  drawer 
and  found  in  it,  tucked  away  at  the  back,  the  little 
box  containing  the  Indian  ring  with  the  red  and 
black  cord.  The  ring  was  of  silver  except  for  a 
quaint  jade  animal,  which  might  have  represented  a 
dragon  with  some  stretch  of  the  imagination.  On 
the  back  was  the  familiar  swastika,  or  good-luck 
sign.  There  was  a  large  mirror  over  the  bureau, 
and  as  I  raised  my  head  I  saw  the  reflection  of  some 
thing  moving.  I  turned  instantly.  There  was  a 
window  opposite  and  through  that  window  some  one 
had  been  looking.  I  was  sure  of  it. 

My  heart  seemed  to  stand  still  for  a  minute. 
Then  I  ran  to  the  open  window  and  looked  down.  It 
was  almost  dark  outside,  and  there  were  plenty  of 
trees  and  shrubs  below,  so  that  a  man  might  easily 
be  hidden.  There  was  no  ladder,  but  a  copper 
leader  running  from  the  roof  to  the  ground  was 
close  enough  so  that  an  active  man  might  have  clung 
to  it  and  looked  in.  Of  course  it  might  have  been 
Mary  at  some  prank. 

I  called  her  name  loudly  two  or  three  times,  and 
presently  heard  a  far-off  response.  I  confess  that 
I  hated  to  go  downstairs,  where  only  one  small  light 
had  been  left  burning.  Maria  had  long  ago  retired, 
for  she  believed  in  the  good  old  saying,  uEarly  to 
bed  and  early  to  rise." 

Two  or  three  minutes  afterward  Mary  rushed  up 
to  the  door.  Her  face  was  quite  white,  and  she  was 
evidently  excited. 

"Mother,"  she  said,  "I  saw  El  Lobo  down  in  the 
eucalyptus  grove.  I  know  I  did." 


112  Mary  in  California 

"But  he  died,"  I  objected. 

"Dave  always  said  he  didn't,  Mother.  Anyway, 
I  saw  him !  He  was  not  far  from  our  house.  My,  I 
was  glad  that  Mr.  Farrell  came  part  way  home  with 
me.  I  just  ran  as  fast  as  I  could  when  I  saw  him. 
Don't  you  suppose  he's  after  the  ring?  Where  is  it, 
anyway?" 

"It's  up  in  the  bureau  drawer,"  I  answered,  lower 
ing  my  voice.  "But  to-morrow  it  goes  to  San  Fran 
cisco,  and  I'll  take  it  myself." 

The  Doctor  was  inclined  to  laugh  at  our  fears 
and  at  the  possibility  of  El  Lobo's  reappearance. 

"But  I  saw  him,  I  know  I  did,"  repeated  Mary. 

I  did  not  mention  my  own  adventure  until  after  she 
had  gone  to  bed. 

"Whatever  may  or  may  not  be  the  truth  about 
El  Lobo,  that  ring  goes  to  Frisco  to-morrow,"  I 
said  positively. 

"I  am  inclined  to  throw  it  out  of  the  window,"  the 
Doctor  said.  "Let  El  Lobo  have  it,  if  he  wants  it 
so  much." 

"We  will  take  it  to  the  bank  to-morrow  and 
then  decide.  I  hate  the  idea  of  giving  it  up,"  I 
answered. 

"Well,  to-morrow  be  it  then.  We  haven't  been  to 
San  Francisco  yet,  except  when  we  drove  home  from 
Dave's  school.  I  have  nothing  particular  to  do  after 
my  lecture  is  over.  Let's  go  across  the  bay  and  do 
some  sightseeing.  We  will  have  to  start  in  time  to 
get  to  a  bank.  I  suppose  we  might  have  it  in  an 
Oakland  bank,  but  I  rather  like  the  idea  of  having  it 
at  a  distance." 


The  Ring  Causes  Excitement  113 

We  did  not  go  on  the  next  day,  however,  for 
Mary  begged  us  to  wait  until  Saturday  so  that  she 
might  accompany  us.  But  we  all  went  down 
solemnly  and  deposited  the  ring  in  the  college  safe, 
so  that  at  least  it  would  be  out  of  the  house. 

Mary  went  to  her  first  rehearsal  that  day,  and 
came  back  full  of  enthusiasm. 

"Mother,  the  girls  are  all  so  nice.  Winifred 
introduced  me  to  a  lot  of  them,  and  they  were  just  as 
jolly  as  can  be.  They  want  me  to  take  dinner  at  the 
college  to-morrow,  and  may  I  ?  Cynthia  and  I  had 
such  a  good  time." 

"Tell  us  a  little  about  the  pageant,"  said  her 
father. 

"It's  about  the  Matilija  Poppy,  Daddy.  It's  a 
sort  of  symbolic  play.  It  has  to  do  with  the  beauties 
of  the  Indian  legends  and  civilization  and  then  the 
coming  of  the  Spanish  fathers.  There  are  lots  of 
dances,  flower  dances,  and  it  ends  in  the  Dance  of 
Death.  It  is  sort  of  sad  at  the  end.  The  Matilija 
Poppy  means  the  Indians,  and  that  is  the  last  dance 
of  all.  The  Mother  of  the  Moon  comes  in,  and  her 
mists  of  the  Dawn.  It  is  so  pretty,  Mother.  I  am 
just  crazy  about  it." 

"What  parts  do  you  and  Cynthia  take  in  it?"  I 
asked. 

"We're  yellow  poppies.  Winifred  is  the  Indian 
hero.  She  is  so  handsome  I  Our  dresses  are  lovely 
yellow  things.  If  only  the  warm  soft  weather  holds 
good  and  the  lake  doesn't  dry  up.  Wouldn't  that  be 
too  cruel  if  it  did  and  we  had  to  do  it  in  the  Open 
Air  Theater?" 


H4  Mary  in  California 

"It's  pretty  over  there,  too,"  said  her  father. 
"But  I  suppose  this  was  written  for  Lake  Aliso." 

"Yes,  they  gave  it  at  commencement.  One  of  the 
seniors  wrote  it.  I  just  love  it.  And  you  ought  to 
see  the  girls  dance!  They  are  so  graceful  and  so 
beautifully  trained." 

"Which  is  the  Matilija  Poppy?" 

"The  lovely  white  one  that  grows  all  over  the 
hills.  It  is  very  delicate  and  graceful." 

"Yes,  I've  seen  them.  They  certainly  are  charm 
ing,"  I  said.  "We  shall  look  forward  to  seeing  the 
play.  Anything  given  at  Lake  Aliso  would  be  good 
to  see.  The  eucalyptus  trees  overhanging  it  are  so 
wonderful  and  the  live-oak  grove  like  nothing  else 
that  I  know." 

The  next  day  was  Friday  and  Mary  took  her  eve 
ning  meal  at  Winifred  Ransome's  table. 

"I  will  walk  home  with  her,"  the  young  senior 
had  assured  us,  "but  may  she  stay  for  a  little  while 
after  dinner?  We  girls  are  going  to  have  a  fudge 
party.  The  moonlight  is  so  bright,  we  shall  enjoy 
the  walk  back  in  the  evening." 

It  sounded  delightful  and  Mary  did  not  need  to 
add  any  special  pleading  to  gain  consent. 

"Be  good  and  don't  eat  too  much  fudge,  and  be 
home  by  nine-thirty,"  was  our  last  admonition  as 
the  two  went  off  together. 

"Don't  they  look  pretty  ?"  the  Doctor  said.  "Isn't 
that  a  specially  becoming  dress  of  Mary's?  I  like 
her  bright  green  sash  on  that  white  dress.  And  how 
jolly  Winifred  looks  in  that  pale  pink  with  the  Indian 
necklace." 


The  Ring  Causes  Excitement  115 

"I  wish  I  didn't  have  red  hair,  so  I  could  wear 
pink,"  said  Trix.  "I  like  pink." 

"Bless  the  child,  she's  growing  up,"  observed  her 
father.  "Never  mind  about  clothes.  Let's  go  out 
and  feed  the  rabbits  with  their  pink  eyes." 

We  found  Maria  out  in  the  garden,  gathering 
lettuce. 

"I  haf  just  fed  the  bonies,"  she  called.  "One  of 
them  is  sick,  I  think.  His  hair  is  coming  off  on  his 
back.  Ven  you  go  to  San  Francisco  to-morrow,  you 
buy  me  a  box  of  Kootikoora.  That  is  goot  for  the 
hair.  Boney  needs  it." 

"What  does  she  mean?"  whispered  the  Doctor, 
who  was  not  quite  as  familiar  as  I  with  Maria's  mind 
and  speech. 

"I  expect  she  means  Cuticura.  I  never  heard  of 
putting  it  on  a  rabbit,  but  I  don't  know  why  not." 

"All  right,  we'll  get  you  some  to-morrow,"  said 
the  Doctor. 

We  lingered  about  the  rabbit  cage  watching  the 
furry  little  creatures  energetically  eating  their  eve 
ning  meal  or  chasing  each  other  about.  The  biggest 
one  did  seem  to  have  lost  some  of  his  smooth  coat. 

"Trix  ought  to  go  to  bed,"  I  said  lazily.  But  no 
one  made  any  move  in  the  direction  of  the  house. 

Finally  Maria  departed,  and  we  could  hear  her 
low-pitched  voice  singing,  "Pack  oop  der  troobles  in 
der  old  kit  pag  und  Schmile,  Schmile,  Schmile." 

Far  off  the  bell  in  the  clock  tower  on  the  campus 
tolled  forth  the  hour  of  eight. 

"Trix,  come  to  bed  this  minute,"  I  said,  and  I 
turned  and  firmly  walked  toward  the  house. 


n6  Mary  in  California 

"Daddy,  can't  I  stay  a  little  longer?  I  don't 
want  to  go  to  bed." 

"You  heard  what  your  mother  said,"  answered 
her  father.  "I  would  like  you  to  go  right  away." 

So  Trix  and  I  went  into  the  dark,  silent  house  and 
up  the  dark,  silent  stairs. 

"You  start  getting  undressed  and  I'll  come  right 
in,  Trix,"  I  said.  "I  have  to  get  a  handkerchief 
from  my  bureau." 

I  had  a  curious  feeling  when  I  lit  the  lamp  in  my 
room  that  I  should  find  that  something  had  hap 
pened  there.  So  for  a  minute  I  looked  stupidly  at 
my  bureau  without  feeling  surprised  when  I  saw  that 
the  drawers  had  been  pulled  out  and  their  contents 
thrown  about  the  floor. 

"Trix,  have  you  been  in  here?"  I  called.  "Have 
you  been  at  my  bureau?" 

"Why,  Mother,  you  know  I  haven't,"  came  the 
answer  in  Trix's  high  little  voice.  "I  was  out  with 
you  and  the  rabbits." 

Then  suddenly  I  began  to  be  alarmed.  Some  one 
from  outside  had  been  in  my  room  and  I  could  not 
but  remember  what  I  had  seen  in  the  window  a  few 
days  before.  I  said  nothing  more  for  fear  of 
frightening  Trix,  but  when  she  was  in  bed,  I  ran 
down  to  tell  the  Doctor. 

"Is  anything  missing?"  was  his  first  question. 

"Nothing,"  I  answered.  "My  purse  with  ten 
dollars  in  it  was  in  the  top  drawer,  and  a  diamond 
brooch  was  sticking  in  the  pincushion." 

"Then  they  are  after  the  ring.  I  tell  you,  we've 
got  to  get  rid  of  it.  I  will  be  glad  to  have  it  as  far 


The  Ring  Causes  Excitement  117 

as  San  Francisco.  Only  I  am  sorry  for  the  bank  that 
holds  it.  We  had  better  report  this  to  the  superin 
tendent  to-morrow." 

The  evening  seemed  a  long  one,  in  spite  of  books 
and  writing,  and  when  half  past  nine  finally  came 
and  brought  no  Mary,  both  the  Doctor  and  I  be 
came  uneasy  and  were  quite  ready  to  be  angry  when 
fifteen  minutes  later  we  heard  light-hearted  laughter 
and  gay  talk.  Winifred  and  another  student  simply 
poked  their  heads  in  at  the  door  to  announce  their 
presence,  and  then  departed  hastily  in  order  to  be 
in  their  dormitories  before  ten  o'clock. 

"I  hope  I  am  not  late,  Dad,"  cried  Mary,  all 
aglow  with  excitement.  "We've  had  such  a  good 
time,  and  we  had  an  adventure,  too !" 

"What  do  you  mean?"  asked  her  father. 

"Well,  we  were  in  the  old  building,  you  know, 
where  the  offices  are,  and  we  had  been  having  a 
glorious  time,  making  fudge  and  the  nicest  melted 
cheese  thing,  and  singing  and  all.  I  happened  to 
look  out  of  the  window — we  were  upstairs — and  I 
saw  a  man  trying  to  climb  in  on  the  main  floor.  It 
was  the  window  of  the  office,  and  the  room  next  the 
one  where  the  safe  is.  Well,  we  had  a  dish  full  of 
boiling  water  to  clean  out  the  fudge  kettle,  and  we 
emptied  it  on  Mr.  Burglar.  You  ought  to  have  seen 
him  run !  We  reported  it  at  once  and  the  men  are 
out  hunting  for  him.  But  wasn't  that  exciting?" 

"Yes,"  said  the  Doctor  dryly.  "I  am  glad  to 
morrow  is  the  day  your  ring  goes  to  San  Francisco. 
I  hope  nobody  will  blame  me  if  I  drop  it  overboard 
from  the  ferryboat." 


n8  Mary  in  California 

"Now,  Dad,  you  simply  couldn't  do  that,"  ex 
claimed  Mary.  "I  want  my  children's  children  to 
see  it  and  hear  all  about  its  adventures." 

"Go  to  bed  now,  for  we  will  want  to  get  under 
way  early  to-morrow,"  her  father  said. 

"Aren't  you  people  coming  up?" 

"Yes,  we  are  coming  directly,  but  you  go  to  bed 
at  once." 

So  Mary  reluctantly  departed. 

The  next  morning  at  breakfast  Trix  announced 
that  she  had  invited  Jack  and  Tom  to  lunch. 

"But  we  are  all  going  to  San  Francisco,"  I 
said. 

"Nu,  you  vould  not  take  the  little  von,"  broke  in 
Maria.  "She  should  not  go  to  the  big  dirty  city. 
She  vill  stay  here  mit  me  und  the  two  leetle  boys 
vill  come.  Ve  vill  celebrate  old  Maria's  birthday 
und  haf  a  party.  Dis  afternoon  ve  go  take  a  ride 
in  the  boats  on  the  lake  in  the  park.  Ve  haf  it  all 
settled,  hein  Trixy?" 

"Yes,  Mother,  Jack  and  Tom  are  coming  and  we 
are  going  down  to  the  lake  with  Maria  and  her 
family  to  ride  in  the  boats.  Can't  I,  Mother?  Say 
yes!" 

"Very  well,  dear.  But  stay  with  Maria.  Don't 
run  off  alone." 

"Oh,  goodie,  goodie.  May  I  'phone  to  Jack  and 
Tom  now?" 

"Perhaps  it  would  be  better  for  me  to  do  it,"  I 
answered. 

When  we  started  out  at  ten  o'clock  the  three 
children  waved  a  good-by  from  the  piazza  roof  and 


The  Ring  Causes  Excitement  119 

Maria's  last  words  were,  ''Please  not  forget  the 
Kootikoora  for  boney." 

It  was  about  a  mile  to  the  express  trolleys  that 
were  the  quickest  way  to  reach  the  San  Francisco 
ferry.  But  the  road  had  many  pleasant  residences 
and  was  shaded  by  trees  most  of  the  way.  The 
Doctor  had  the  precious  box  in  his  inside  pocket. 

"It's  all  perfectly  absurd,"  he  said.  "It's  like  a 
movie.  Why  can't  I  come  out  to  the  coast  to  lecture 
on  hygiene  and  be  a  common  tourist  with  his  family? 
I  certainly  shall  be  glad  to  get  rid  of  this  ridiculous 
ring." 

"By  the  way,  it's  Saturday  and  the  banks  close 
at  noon,"  I  remarked. 

"So  they  do !  But  I  think  we  can  make  it.  I  have 
forgotten  just  how  long  these  ferries  take." 

It  was  our  first  real  view  of  the  great  harbor,  with 
San  Francisco  lying  across  the  bay.  The  early  morn 
ing  mists  had  been  blown  away  and  the  blue  of  the 
sky  sparkled  in  the  water.  A  sea  gull  came  and 
perched  on  our  masthead.  Indeed,  there  were  plenty 
of  these  beautiful  creatures  flying  about  or  fishing  on 
the  crest  of  a  wave.  One  followed  us  like  the  far- 
famed  albatross  in  the  "Ancient  Mariner." 

"It  doesn't  look  as  though  that  big  city  had  ever 
been  visited  by  fire  and  earthquake,"  remarked  the 
Doctor. 

"Was  it,  Dad?    How  long  ago?" 

"About  as  many  years  ago  as  you  are  old." 

"An  earthquake  must  be  awful,"  said  Mary.  "I 
remember  a  picture  in  my  old  geography  of  the 
earthquake  in  Lisbon.  But  Daddy,  Cynthia  Farrell 


I2O  Mary  in  California 

said  San  Francisco  was  destroyed  by  a  fire,  not  an 
earthquake." 

"Hum,  some  one  else  told  me  that.  Well,  any 
way,  there  certainly  was  a  terrible  fire,  and  the  tele 
phone  lines  all  were  broken  and  the  electric  lights 
went  out  and  the  water  mains  burst.  The  people 
found  themselves  without  any  shelter  or  water  or 
light.  It  was  certainly  frightful.  But  they  were 
plucky,  and  started  right  in  rebuilding  as  soon  as  the 
first  crisis  was  over.  You  can  see  for  yourself  that  it 
looks  as  though  there  never  had  been  any  conflagra 
tion.  One  good  thing,  too,  was  accomplished.  Old 
Chinatown  was  destroyed,  and  the  new  one  will 
never  be  as  dirty  or  as  dangerous." 

"Or  as  interesting,"  I  added.  "But  I  fancy  the 
old  one  was  a  little  too  interesting  sometimes." 

"The  police  found  it  so,  with  its  subterranean 
passageways  and  rooms  and  opium  dens." 

"Daddy,  what  fun.  Isn't  there  anything  like  that 
now?" 

"They  tell  me  that  the  modern  Chinese  quarter 
is  quite  clean  and  sanitary  and  aboveboard.  It 
seems  to  be  full  of  shops.  But  I  suppose  there  may 
be  concealed  places  of  great  interest.  I  am  afraid 
we  won't  see  them." 

We  were  about  halfway  across  the  bay  when  the 
boat  came  to  a  sudden  stop.  Something  had  gone 
wrong  with  the  machinery,  and  we  were  at  a  stand 
still.  The  Doctor  began  to  be  troubled. 

"We  haven't  any  too  much  time,"  he  said.  "If 
we  stay  here  long,  the  banks  will  be  closed  before 
we  get  there.  And  this  abominable  box  will  remain 


The  Ring  Causes  Excitement  121 

with  us  for  two  more  days.  I  declare,  I  believe 
I'll  drop  it  overboard.'1  He  took  the  box  out 
of  his  pocket  as  he  spoke  and  held  it  toward  the 
rail. 

"Daddy,  don't!"  cried  Mary.  "I  want  my  ring. 
You  mustn't  throw  it  in  the  water." 

At  that  moment  a  Chinaman  who  had  been  ap 
parently  watching  us  from  some  safe  place  of  con 
cealment  darted  out  and  struck  the  Doctor  on  the 
wrist  with  a  stick.  Involuntarily  he  dropped  the 
box,  which  fell  to  the  deck.  Mary  and  the  stranger 
sprang  for  it,  but  the  Chinaman  got  it  first  and 
instantly  fled  toward  the  interior  of  the  boat.  The 
Doctor  and  Mary  started  in  pursuit. 

"Stop  thief,"  cried  the  Doctor.  And  "Stop  him," 
cried  Mary. 

The  man  got  to  the  back  of  the  boat  and  jumped 
overboard. 

"Did  he  steal  something  from  you?"  one  of  the 
ship's  officers  inquired. 

"He  took  a  valuable  ring,"  replied  the  Doctor. 

"There  he  is,  swimming  in  the  water,"  cried  out 
a  passenger.  "Why  not  launch  a  boat  and  pick  him 
up?" 

An  officer  gave  the  orders  to  put  out  in  one  of 
the  lifeboats.  But  before  this  was  accomplished,  the 
swimmer  disappeared,  and  though  the  crew  rowed 
about  for  some  time,  nothing  could  be  seen  of  him. 

"There  is  nothing  to  do  now,  I  fear,"  the  Captain 
said,  "but  to  report  your  loss  to  the  police.  Would 
you  know  the  man  again?" 

"He  was  Chinese,"  I  said. 


122  Mary  in  California 

"I  didn't  get  much  of  a  look  at  him,"  said  the 
Doctor. 

"He  was  certainly  a  Chinaman,"  Mary  repeated. 

uHe  looked  young  and  slight  to  me,"  said  one  of 
the  passengers. 

"I  am  afraid  you  will  not  see  your  ring  again," 
remarked  another  passenger. 

"It  is  probably  at  the  bottom  of  the  bay  with  the 
thief,"  added  another  man. 

"I  sincerely  hope  so,"  the  Doctor  whispered  to 
me.  He  thanked  the  men  who  had  launched  the 
boat,  and  the  captain.  By  that  time  the  machinery 
had  been  set  to  rights,  and  we  proceeded  on  our  way. 
Mary  was  trying  hard  not  to  cry. 

"I  can't  bear  to  think  of  its  being  lost  to  that 
horrid  El  Lobo,"  she  said. 

"Come,  we  won't  talk  of  it  any  more,"  replied 
her  father.  "I  think  we  are  well  rid  of  it." 

"But  you  will  report  it  to  the  police,  won't  you, 
Dad?"  " 

"Oh,  I  suppose  so.  But  I  think  we  will  not  see 
it  again,  and  I  am  glad  of  it." 

"We  shall  not  have  to  make  the  bank  now,  so 
let  us  plan  what  we  will  do  first  Where  shall  we 
have  lunch?" 

"Let's  go  to  a  nice  tea  room  or  dairy  place,"  I 
said. 

"Oh,  Daddy,  I  want  to  go  to  a  really  spiffy  place. 
Can't  we  go  to  a  big  hotel  or  restaurant?" 

"Since  you  need  consolation,  suppose  you  choose, 
Mary.  We  will  proceed  to  a  large  and  pleasant 
place  with  wonderful  food." 


The  Ring  Causes  Excitement  123 

"Hurrah,  Dad,  let's  go." 

"It  sounds  expensive,"  I  murmured.  But  I  was 
outvoted,  and  seeing  that  I  could  not  help  it,  I  found 
myself  rather  enjoying  the  idea. 

So  it  was  decided  to  go  to  a  fine  hotel  on  one  of 
the  main  thoroughfares.  We  were  a  little  early  for 
most  diners,  and  we  found  few  in  the  elaborate 
dining  room.  The  head  waiter  became  quite  friendly 
while  we  were  eating,  especially  when  he  found  we 
were  from  the  East. 

"It  was  in  this  hotel,"  he  told  us,  "that  a  large 
luncheon  was  given  to  President  Wilson  on  the  last 
trip  before  his  illness.  It  was  a  great  occasion." 

"I  wish  I  could  have  been  here  then,"  said  the 
Doctor.  "I  suppose  there  was  an  enthusiastic 
crowd.  Did  he  seem  ill?" 

"I  have  been  told  that  he  never  spoke  better." 

"It  was  a  tragic  journey,"  said  the  Doctor. 

"Why,  Daddy?"  Mary  inquired. 

"Because  Wilson  was  a  sick  man  when  he  started. 
But  he  was  so  anxious  to  have  people  believe  in  the 
League  of  Nations  that  he  believed  in  with  all  his 
soul,  that  he  went  right  on  through  the  West,  talking 
everywhere  for  it,  until  he  suddenly  broke  down,  a 
martyr  to  what  he  thought  a  great  ideal.  He  was 
very  brave,  and  it  was  a  great  tragedy.  He  was  like 
a  man  wounded  desperately  who  would  not  leave  the 
battlefield." 

"I  see,"  said  Mary.  "Did  you  ever  meet  him, 
Daddy?" 

"I  am  glad  to  say  I  did  once,  before  he  was 
President. 


124  Mary  in  California 

"Well,  let's  be  going.  If  we  don't  start  we  won't 
ever  get  there." 

"Where?"  asked  Mary. 

"Chinatown." 

"Oh,  Dad,  I  am  crazy  to  see  it.  By  the  way, 
don't  forget  the  'Kootikoora'  for  Maria." 

"That  would  never  do,  would  it?" 

We  bade  good-by  to  the  friendly  head  waiter,  and 
inquired  of  him  the  best  way  to  get  to  the  Chinese 
quarter.  It  was  a  short  ride  in  the  street  car,  we 
found,  and  then  a  walk  up  the  steepest  hill  that  we 
had  seen  for  a  long  time. 

"San  Francisco  is  like  Rome,  all  built  on  hills," 
remarked  Mary.  "I'd  hate  to  have  the  cable  break 
some  time  and  the  car  start  going  backward." 

"Let  us  devoutly  hope  it  will  not,"  I  remarked. 

We  wandered  through  the  principal  street  of 
Chinatown,  sunny  in  the  early  afternoon.  We  went 
into  great  shops,  where  courteous  Chinese  trades 
men  allowed  us  to  walk  at  will,  admiring  the  beauti 
ful  silks  or  rich  garments  displayed  for  sale.  There 
were  carvings  from  the  East  and  spices  and  sweets, 
all  giving  forth  mystery  and  charm.  There  were 
wonderful  jewels,  and  priceless  china  and  porcelain. 
And  brooding  over  all  were  the  strange  perfumes 
of  the  orient,  weaving  a  spell  of  romance. 

We  met  some  Chinese  and  also  a  few  sightseers 
like  ourselves.  Mary  wanted  to  buy  souvenirs  for 
her  friends,  and  I  thought  of  Christmas  not  so  far 
away,  so  we  went  into  a  shop  where  there  were  small 
and  reasonable  articles  for  sale.  Even  we  could 
tell  the  difference  between  the  things  made  for  the 


The  Ring  Causes  Excitement  125 

western  trade  and  those  which  might  have  adorned 
the  house  of  a  mandarin  himself. 

The  Doctor  took  us  down  a  side  street  to  the 
interesting  Telephone  Exchange  Building,  which 
looked  more  like  a  temple  than  the  temple 
itself. 

"I  thought  all  the  houses  would  be  built  this  way," 
said  Mary.  "It  must  be  funny  to  call  numbers  in 
Chinese." 

There  were  several  booths  and  in  one  of  them  a 
tall  man  was  standing.  Suddenly  he  turned  as  if  to 
come  out. 

The  Doctor  started.  "By  Jove,  that's  El  Lobo," 
he  whispered  to  me.  "Let's  get  out  of  here.  I 
don't  think  he  saw  us." 

So  we  left  the  building  quickly. 

"Why  didn't  you  want  him  to  see  us,  Dad?" 
asked  Mary. 

"Because  you  got  his  ring,  my  dear.  He  doesn't 
look  like  a  man  who  would  forget." 

"But  we  haven't  got  the  ring  now,"  objected 
Mary. 

"True,  but  the  question  is,  does  El  Lobo  know 
that?  I  wish  I  knew  what  he  was  'phoning  about 
It  would  tell  us  a  lot,  maybe." 

We  wandered  back  into  the  city. 

"Is  it  time  to  go  back  yet?"  I  asked. 

"No,  I  think  we  might  ride  out  to  one  of  the 
missions.  We  could  go  to  the  Cliff  House  and 
see  the  sea  lions,  only  I'd  like  to  take  Trix  there.  Or 
would  you  rather  go  out  to  the  old  World's  Fair 
grounds?" 


126  Mary  in  California 

"I  vote  we  go  to  the  mission,"  said  Mary.  "I 
sort  of  like  churches." 

So  to  the  mission  Dolores  we  went,  with  its 
ancient  bell  that  had  rung  for  the  first  time  in  the 
year  1776,  when  another  bell  was  ringing  in  far- 
off  Philadelphia. 

As  we  crossed  the  bay  again  toward  evening  the 
sea  mists  were  stealing  in  over  by  the  Golden  Gate, 
but  the  city  itself  stood  up  proudly  against  a  glory 
of  gold  in  the  sky. 


CHAPTER  IX 

THE  GREEK  THEATER  AT  BERKELEY 

/1P  HE  Doctor  brought  up  a  number  of  letters  that 
•*•  evening,  one  being  from  Mrs.  Norton.  In  this 
she  described  going  up  the  canon  to  find  that  the 
automobile  had  survived  the  flames  and  was  ap 
parently  as  good  as  ever. 

"It  seemed  to  bear  a  charmed  life,"  she  wrote; 
"for  the  woods  had  burned  all  around  it.  Indeed 
the  flames  performed  a  lot  of  strange  tricks  of  this 
sort,  burning  one  barn  and  leaving  a  house  right  next 
to  it.  But  Trix  will  enjoy  this.  We  found  a  nest  of 
squirrels,  or  a  family  of  them,  that  had  burrowed 
into  one  of  the  big  back  cushions.  They  chattered 
most  indignantly  when  we  routed  them  out.  We  are 
planning  a  trip  to  the  giant  sequoia  trees  later  in 
the  fall.  Can't  some  of  you  come  ?  We  have  room 
for  three  in  the  auto.  Jack  and  his  wife  are  well  and 
send  love,  as  do  we  all." 

There  was  a  letter  from  Dave  also,  astonishingly 
long  for  him. 

"DEAR  MOTHER: 

"The  school  is  fine.     I  like  it. 

"There  is  a  boy  here  named  John  Alden,  and  one 
named  Jack  Desmond.  All  the  boys  call  him  Jack 
Dempsey  'cause  he  fights  a  lot.  There  was  a  man 

127 


128  Mary  in  California 

here  last  night  who  talked  about  a  fellow  named 
Burbank.  Have  you  ever  heard  of  him?  He  had 
moving  pictures.  There  was  a  picture  of  a  big  cactus 
like  the  ones  in  New  Mexico  without  the  prickers  as 
Trix  calls  them.  There  was  a  picture  of  a  plum 
without  a  pit.  He  told  us  about  how  Burbank 
made  twenty  thousand  prune  trees  grow  in  nine 
months.  He  did  it  by  sticking  the  prune  slips  on 
almond  trees  that  grow  fast.  I  call  that  pretty 
good.  He  was  a  great  scientist  and  did  a  lot  for  his 
country.  He  did  it  by  killing  a*lot  of  trees  and 
plants  that  weren't  any  good  and  keeping  the  good 
ones.  Pleasejsend  me  some  collars  pronto  and  I've 
got  to  have  the  Story  of  a  Bad  Boy  right  away,  too. 
"This  is  an  awful  long  letter. 

"Your 'loving  DAVE/' 

"Daddy,  what  does  he  mean?"  gasped  Mary,  who 
had  been  seized  by  a  hearty  fit  of  laughter  during 
the  reading  of  the  letter.  "How  did  he  make  the 
trees  grow  by  killing  a  lot?" 

"Don't  you  know  anything  about  Burbank,  Mary 
He  has  been  working  now  for  fifty  years,  I  suppose, 
improving  nature.     That  sounds   funny,   but   it 
true.    He  has  been  helping  nature,  just  as  I  do  whei 
I  put  fertilizer  on  my  garden.     You  have  heard  oi 
'grafting,'  I  suppose." 

"I  thought  graft  was  something  connected  witl 
politics  and  corruption." 

"Hum,  sometimes.  To  graft  means  to  put 
cutting  or  slip  from  one  plant  on  to  another,  when 
it  really  does  not  belong.  Take  the  case  of  Mr.  Bur- 
bank.  The  prune  trees  would  take  a  long  time  t< 
grow  and  he  wanted  them  in  nine  months.  So  h< 


The  Greek   Theater  at  Berkeley          129 

planted  the  quick-growing  almond  and  grafted  on 
his  prune  shoots.  He  operates  on  trees  as  I  do  on 
people.  He  wants  certain  things  in  nature  and 
when  he  does  not  find  them,  he  goes  ahead  and  tries 
by  combinations  to  get  them.  He  destroys  the  trees 
and  plants  that  do  not  come  up  to  his  standard  or 
that  do  not  help  him  in  his  schemes,  and  only  keeps 
the  perfect  ones  or  those  that  will  be  useful  to  him. 
So  gradually  he  has  evolved  the  spineless  cactus  and 
the  pitless  plum.  It  is  all  very  wonderful  and 
seems  like  magic — till  you  remember  that  I  can  take 
blood  from  a  well  person  and  put  it  in  the  veins  of 
some  one  who  is  sick  and  health  will  come  to  him. 
I  can  take  a  bone  from  an  animal  and  graft  it  on  a 
cripple.  It  seems  like  magic,  but  it  is  true.  It  is  a 
miracle  of  science." 

"I'd  like  to  see  Burbank,"  said  Mary.  "I'd  like 
to  meet  a  celebrity.  Are  you  one,  Dad?" 

The  Doctor  laughed.     "Far  from  it,"  he  said. 

"But  do  you  know,  I  think  we  ought  to  plan  out  a 
little  what  we  are  going  to  do.  The  weeks  are 
fairly  flying  and  our  week-ends  will  be  gone  before 
we  know  it.  We  want  to  see  everything,  but  we 
can't.  I  want  to  go  up  Tamalpais  and  see  Muir 
Woods  and  maybe  drive  out  to  Bolinas  and 
have  some  swims.  I  want  to  take  Trix  to  see 
the  sea  lions  at  the  Cliff  House  and  the  museum 
there. 

"Then  this  trip  to  the  sequoias  and  the  Yosemite 
sounds  good.  But  we  can't  all  do  that.  It  costs 
too  much,  and  anyway  we  are  not  invited." 

"Don't  forget  Mary's  pageant,"  I  said.     "And 


130  Mary  in  California 

I  am  anxious  to  get  a  sight  of  the  Greek  theater  at 
the  University  of  California." 

"Surely — I  hear  there  is  to  be  a  play  there.  Per 
haps  we  can  get  in  somehow." 

"And  I  want  to  see  Leland  Stanford,"  put  in 
Mary.  "I  think  I'd  like  to  go  to  college  there  for 
a  year  or  two.  I'd  like  to  get  away.  And  oh,  Dad, 
I  heard  to-day  that  there  was  to  be  a  visit  from  the 
fleet.  We  must  see  that.  We  can  see  it  from  the 
Pre — Pre — what  do  you  call  it?" 

"The  Presidio — that  is  a  big  park  where  the 
army  post  is.  We  must  surely  go  there.  Perhaps 
Dave  could  come  up  for  that.  When  is  it?" 

"Why,  I  think  a  week  from  Saturday.  Yd  just 
love  to  go  aboard  one  of  the  boats." 

"Well,  we  seem  to  have  a  long  program.  We 
surely  must  see  all  we  can,  but  I  don't  see  how  we 
can  do  everything.  Suppose  you  and  Trix  go  to  the 
sequoias  with  the  Nortons  and  I  take  Mary  to 
Tamalpais  and  Muir  Woods." 

"I  don't  see  that  that  is  fair,"  I  answered.  "The 
Yosemite  and  the  big  trees  are  very  important  for 
every  one  to  see,  especially  the  children.  Why 
shouldn't  Dave  and  Mary  go?" 

"I  don't  think  the. Nortons  could  be  asked  to  take 
the  children  alone.  How  about  you  and  Trix  and 
Dave  going?  Mary  and  I  could  go  up  Tamalpais 
and  Muir  Woods." 

"Couldn't  we  all  go  on  the  way  home?" 

"Not  if  we  motor  as  we  intended  to.  Yet,  maybe 
we  can.  We  shall  have  to  look  up  maps  and 
things.  Suppose  then  the  four  of  us  plan  for  Tamal- 


The  Greek  Theater  at  Berkeley          131 

pais  and  Muir  Woods  next  Saturday,"  said  the 
Doctor. 

"I  think  that  is  the  date  for  the  performance  at 
the  Greek  theater,"  I  said. 

"And  the  week  after  is  probably  the  fleet?" 

"Yes,  Dad— " 

"Well,  then,  the  week  after." 

"That's  the  pageant  here,  'Daddy." 

"Oh,  I  give  it  up !  We'll  simply  go  when  we  can. 
Let's  ask  the  Nortons  to  postpone  their  trip  and 
tell  them  we  all  want  to  go.  I  declare,  there  are 
too  many  things  to  see  in  California !" 

It  was  a  few  days  after  this  that  Mary  asked  if 
she  could  not  spend  Friday  night  with  Winifred. 
There  seemed  to  be  no  good  reason  for  refusing,  so 
consent  was  given. 

"Don't  forget  that  we  go  to  the  university  to  see 
the  Greek  play  Saturday  afternoon,  so  come  back 
early  in  the  morning.  We  ought  to  start  by  eleven. 
We  are  to  lunch  with  one  of  the  faculty  there." 

"Is  Trix  going?" 

"No.  Trix  will  stay  home  as  usual.  Or  rather, 
the  invaluable  Maria  is  to  take  Trix  and  Tom  and 
Jack  on  a  picnic.  Don't  stay  awake  all  night.  And 
by  the  way,  I  wish  you  would  ask  Winifred  if  she  is 
any  relation  to  the  Miss  Ransome  who  has  the  ex 
cellent  girls'  boarding  school?" 

"Are  only  excellent  girls  allowed  there,  Mother? 
But  I  did  ask  her  and  she  said  no.  It  was  a  different 
family.  Cynthia  and  I  are  going  to  bowl  now,  if 
there  isn't  any  one  else  there.  Won't  you  come  too, 
Mother?" 


132  Mary  in  California 

"I  think  I  will.  It's  a  long  time  since  I  have 
bowled." 

There  seemed  to  be  some  sort  of  mystery 
connected  with  Friday  night.  Mary  had  a  man 
ner  of  suppressed  excitement  when  she  took  leave 
of  us. 

"I  don't  believe  she'll  sleep  a  wink  all  night,"  said 
the  Doctor. 

"She'll  tell  us  about  it  some  day,"  I  observed, 
" though  maybe  not  to-morrow." 

Apparently  the  Doctor  was  right,  for  when  Mary 
appeared  at  nine-thirty  Saturday  morning  she  was 
a  weary-looking  girl,  pale  with  dark  rings  under  her 
eyes. 

"But  oh,  Mother,  it  was  fun.  Can't  I  come  here 
to  college,  Dad?  They  are  so  nice  here." 

"What  happened?"  asked  her  father. 

"Oh,  I  can't  tell.  It's  a  secret.  I  promised  not 
to." 

"Cross  your  heart  and  strike  me  dead?" 

"Now,  Dad,  nothing  so  foolish!" 

"You  are  sure  of  that?  Now  I  am  a  clairvoyant, 
a  magician.  I  see  hooded  figures  stealing  out  at 
midnight  and  wandering  through  the  eucalyptus 
grove  to  the  lake,  where  strange  ceremonies  took 
place.  Some  freshmen  were  initiated  into  the  secret 
society  of  the  Natatores." 

"Now,  Dad,  that  name  is  too  silly." 

"Well,  what  was  the  name?  I  see  some  mer 
maids  swimming  and  sporting  about  in  the  water." 

"Dad,  who  told  you?" 

"I   tell  you,   I   am   a  magician.      Isn't   it   true? 


The  Greek   Theater  at  Berkeley          133 

Didn't  you  all,  or  portions  of  you,  get  into  the 
lake?"  ' 

"I  promised  not  to  tell." 

"So  you  did.  But  I  made  no  promise.  Now 
'fess  up,  or  I'll  go  and  shout  the  glad  tidings." 

"I  think  Dad's  mean,  Mother.  The  girls  will 
think  I  didn't  keep  the  pledge." 

"My  dear,  I  won't  ask  any  more  questions.  You 
must  surely  keep  your  word.  But  I  thought  secret 
societies  were  taboo." 

"We  did  have  such  fun!"  Mary  sighed. 

"You  look  as  if  you  had,"  remarked  the  Doctor. 
"Also  there  is  a  suspicion  of  dampness  about  the 
top  of  your  head.  These  early  dawn  baths  are 
wearing." 

Mary  put  her  hand  to  her  hair,  and  then  rushed 
off  upstairs. 

"Don't  forget  we  start  on  the  eleven  o'clock  car 
on  the  upper  track.  Not  the  one  that  goes  to 
Frisco,"  called  her  father  after  her. 

"Those  girls  must  have  had  a  jolly  time,"  he 
added  with  a  grin.  "I  wish  you  could  have  been 
present." 

It  was  quite  a  walk  to  the  platform  where  we 
took  the  cars  into  Oakland.  But  the  eucalyptus  trees 
gave  us  pleasant  shade.  We  passed  the  President's 
house,  with  its  lovely  gardens  and  the  two  feathery 
pepper  trees. 

"It  seems  so  funny  to  see  palms  about  in  front 
of  the  houses,"  said  Mary.  "I  feel  as  though  there 
was  to  be  a  party  and  they  were  decorations." 

"I  can't  quite  get  used  to  them  either,"  I  said. 


134  Mary  in  California 

"What  are  we  going  to  see  to-day,  I  mean  in 
the  theater,  beside  the  college  buildings?"  Mary 
asked. 

"The  play  is  'Elektra,'  I  think,"  said  the  Doctor. 
"A  gruesome  tragedy.  But  it  will  be  beautifully 
done,  and  as  it's  Greek,  we  will  like  it.  I  must  say 
I  like  the  cheerful  ones  better." 

We  found  the  university  very  large.  "It's  like  a 
whole  city,"  Mary  said,  "all  spread  out;  and  what 
a  wonderful  great  white  tower.  Can  we  go  up?" 

"We  certainly  can.  It  has  a  fine  view,"  our  host 
told  us.  "This  place  has  more  students  than  any 
other  university  in  the  United  States,  but  I  am  not 
always  sure  that  that  is  an  advantage.  To  para 
phrase  an  old  friend  of  you  New  Englanders,  'We 
don't  always  crack  the  nut  and  bring  out  the  meat.' 
But  there  is  something  inspiring,  too,  in  the  size  of 


us." 


We  were  standing  on  the  balcony  at  the  top  of 
the  tower  and  gazing  over  the  wonderful  panorama 
of  buildings  and  brown  hills  and  blue  sea.  It  was 
beautiful  from  whichever  point  we  looked. 

"You  will  find  it  very  hot  in  the  theater,"  added 
our  host.  "But  I  think  I  succeeded  in  getting  seats 
on  the  shady  side.  So,  who  knows,  you  may  need 
your  furs.  That  is  one  of  the  peculiarities  of  our 
climate." 

The  Greek  theater  was  very  large,  with  its  great 
stage,  and  its  columns  between  which  the  actors  came 
and  went.  And  all  open  to  the  blue  sky  and  the 
bright  sun  overhead.  For  there  was  no  roof,  and 
very  little  shade,  as  we  soon  found.  At  the  back 


The  Greek   Theater  at  Berkeley          135 

there  rose  trees,  but  these  did  not  cast  any  shadow 
upon  the  majority  of  the  audience.  It  was  a  beauti 
ful  spot,  and  a  fitting  background  for  the  great 
Grecian  play  we  were  to  see.  Even  the  ancient 
Greeks  could  not  have  asked  a  better. 

"It  seems  like  Greece,  doesn't  it,  Mother?  At 
least  I  always  thought  of  Greece  like  this.  All 
brilliant  sunlight  and  white  columns." 

"I  have  pictured  it  that  way,  too.  Let  us  pre 
tend  that  these  pretty,  gaily  gowned  girls  are 
Athenians  and  the  boys  in  their  white  flannels  really 
dressed  in  togas  with  wreaths  about  their  'hya- 
cinthine  locks,'  as  Homer  would  have  put  it,"  said 
the  Doctor. 

The  tragedy  was  presented  in  a  way  that  left 
nothing  to  be  desired.  Every  word  could  be  heard, 
and  the  illusion  was  perfect.  Mary  and  I  found 
ourselves  dissolved  in  tears,  sitting  in  modern 
California,  while  university  students  with  only  a 
few  professional  actors  told  forth  the  woes  that 
fate  prepared  for  the  ancients  in  the  days  when  the 
world  was  young. 

"It  is  so  beautiful  and  so  terrible,  Mother.  But 
I  think  if  it  hadn't  been  done  so  well,  I  would  have 
wanted  to  laugh."  So  Mary  spoke  as  we  started 
home.  "I  am  awfully  glad  I  saw  it.  I  dicjn't  want 
to  come  a  bit.  But  the  choruses  were  so  lovely.  I 
wish  there  had  been  more  of  them.  I  wish  we  could 
wear  those  long  Greek  clothes." 

"Do  you  think  I  would  look  nice  in  a  short  toga 
too?"  asked  her  father.  "And  how  would  you  play 
tennis  in  a  long  garment?" 


136  Mary  in  California 

"But  the  Greek  girls  wore  short  things  when  they 
played  ball,  Daddy.  I've  seen  pictures  of  them." 

"That's  right.  They  are  pretty  to  look  at  any 
way.  But  I  think  in  our  cold  New  England  winters 
I  prefer  trousers." 

It  was  late  when  we  reached  home  and  we  were 
all  tired,  especially  Mary.  Even  Trix,  after  a  day 
of  joyous  excitement  with  Maria,  seemed  ready  for 
bed. 

"There  isn't  anything  on  for  to-morrow,  is  there?" 
asked  the  Doctor,  yawning,  about  nine  o'clock.  And 
I  assured  him  that  there  was  not. 

"Nothing  but  church.  I  think  I'd  like  to  go  to 
church,"  I  observed.  "I  feel  as  though  we  had 
gotten  very  far  from  New  England." 

"I  would  like  a  peaceful  Massachusetts  Sabbath 
myself,"  replied  the  Doctor  with  another  yawn. 

But  the  morning  brought  its  own  excitement.  The 
front  page  of  the  newspapers  which  Maria  brought 
us  on  her  return  from  early  service  bore  the 
enormous  headlines,  "Bank  in  San  Francisco  robbed. 
Safe  broken  open  in  the  early  evening  by  daring 
bandits.  It  is  not  certain  how  many  were  involved. 
Nothing  missing  from  the  safe." 

"Wasn't  that  the  bank  my  ring  was  to  go  to?" 
asked  Mary. 

"Yes,  indeed.  It  looks  as  though  El  Lobo  had 
been  at  work.  He  probably  was  hugely  disap 
pointed.  He  does  not  seem  to  know  everything.  I 
wonder  who  has  the  ring  anyway?"  said  the  Doctor. 

"But  El  Lobo  had  no  right  to  wear  it,  if  what  that 
man  in  Santa  Barbara  told  you  was  true,"  said 


The  Greek   Theater  at  Berkeley          137 

Mary.  "Only  the  head  of  the  society.  I  don't 
believe  El  Lobo  is  that." 

"Neither  do  I,"  answered  her  father.  "I  am  glad 
they  are  fighting  it  out  between  them  and  we  are  no 
longer  involved." 

"I  am  afraid  I'll  never  see  my  ring  again,"  Mary 
said  disconsolately. 


CHAPTER  X 

THE  PACIFIC  FLEET  VISITS  SAN  FRANCISCO 

'  I AHE  day  the  great  fleet  was  to  arrive  dawned 
•••     at  last  with  promise  of  fair  weather,  although 
mists  still  hung  over  the  Golden  Gate  when  we  made 
our  early  start  for  San  Francisco. 

The  ships  were  due  at  noon,  but  from  daybreak 
the  ferries  and  trolleys  and  trains  were  crowded  with 
sightseers,  anxious  to  get  positions  of  advantage. 

"You'd  think  there  was  only  one  grand  stand  in 
stead  of  a  great  park  to  watch  from,"  I  said. 

"Just  wait,"  observed  the  Doctor.  "You  will  find 
the  shores  crowded  so  that  back  of  the  fifteenth  line 
no  one  will  catch  a  glimpse  of  the  water  even,  let 
alone  the  fleet." 

The  trolleys  were  filled  to  overflowing,  so  we 
finally  took  a  taxi  out  to  the  Presidio,  where  we 
could  find  our  way  on  foot.  We  had  provided  our 
selves  with  field  glasses  and  food  and  two  folding 
camp  stools,  and  were  prepared  to  spend  the  day. 

"I  wish  Dave  were  here,"  said  Trix.  "He'd 
love  to  see  the  boats.  Can  we  go  on  them,  Daddy?" 

"Not  to-day,  but  I  hope  we  can  on  some  other 
day.  I  have  a  fancy  that  I  know  the  surgeon  on 
one  of  them.  Perhaps  we  could  get  aboard  some  day 
when  the  public  are  not  admitted." 

138 


The  Pacific  Fleet  Visits  San  Francisco     139 

The  park,  with  its  trees  and  well-kept  roads,  was 
a  pleasant  place  in  which  to  be.  Presently  we  found 
ourselves  with  a  small  group  on  a  little  hill,  not  at 
the  water's  edge,  but  commanding  a  fine  view  of 
the  bay,  where  the  last  streaks  of  fog  still  lingered. 

We  sat  down,  and  Trix  declared  she  was  hungry. 
"Can't  I  have  a  sandwich?"  she  begged.  "Just  one, 
with  peanut  butter  in  it." 

The  thought  of  a  sandwich  was  pleasant  to  all, 
although  it  was  only  half  past  nine. 

"But  we  did  start  so  early,  Mother;"  so  Mary 
explained  the  hunger  of  all  of  us. 

The  sandwiches  were  passed.  Then  in  a  few 
minutes,  Trix,  more  outspoken  than  the  rest,  in 
sisted  that  she  was  still  hungry.  So  the  sandwiches 
were  passed  again,  and  no  one  refused.  Then,  "I 
am  so  thirsty,  Mother,"  pleaded  Trix. 

So  some  fruit  was  distributed  and  we  sat  in  perfect 
contentment  amid  oranges  and  plums. 

All  the  time  the  sky  was  getting  bluer,  and  the 
sea,  stirred  by  a  fresh  wind,  was  a  mass  of  sparkling 
blue  and  white.  On  shore  an  incredible  number  of 
people  were  gathered,  moving  slowly  in  one  direc 
tion.  Whole  families,  with  babes-in-arms,  were 
wedged  between  automobiles.  It  was  like  a  colony 
of  ants,  watching  from  where  we  sat. 

"It  is  strange  to  think  what  a  different  place  this 
is  from  the  Spanish  presidio  where  the  prison  stood. 
How  astonished  the  old  hidalgos  would  have  been," 
said  the  Doctor. 

"Even  the  early  pioneers  might  express  some 
surprise!"  I  said.  "Your  famous  great-aunt  who 


140  Mary  in  California 

lived  here  in  the  days  of  the  Vigilance  Committee, 
— what  do  you  suppose  she  would  say  to  these 
orderly  crowds  and  the  extremely  efficient  police?'* 

"Did  your  great-aunt  live  here  then,  Daddy? 
Was  she  a  Calif  ornian?" 

"By  adoption  and  grace,  but  not  by  birth.  She 
was  one  of  the  pioneer  women.  Your  grandmother, 
Mary,  came  out  here  in  the  early  fifties  to  visit. 
She  went  by  way  of  Panama  and  rode  across  on  a 
donkey." 

uOh,  Daddy,  what  fun.  It  must  have  taken 
months  to  do  it.  I  suppose  they  went  by  sea  after 
they  got  through  with  the  donkey.  How  old  was 
she — Grandmother,  I  mean?" 

"About  your  age.  She  came  to  be  with  her  aunt 
and  uncle.  That  was  in  the  famous  days  of  the 
Vigilantes,  when  it  was  unsafe  to  walk  out  of  an 
evening  in  the  city  of  San  Francisco.  The  search  for 
gold  had  brought  all  the  riff-raff  from  everywhere. 
Sometimes  it  was  easier  to  dig  the  precious  metal 
out  of  the  pockets  of  an  honest  citizen  than  out  of 
the  earth.  Every  corner  had  its  gambling  den  and 
its  saloon. 

"But  when  things  get  too  bad,  honest  men  cannot 
stand  it.  Finally  a  few  good  citizens,  among  them 
your  great-uncle,  formed  a  committee,  the  Vigilance 
Committee.  They  swore  to  bring  back  order  to 
their  city,  and  they  did.  They  policed  the  streets. 
They  took  murderers  whom  the  so-called  law  would 
not  condemn,  and  after  a  fair  trial  hanged  them, 
when  they  were  proved  guilty.  As  soon  as  the  thugs 
and  desperate  characters  found  that  the  law  of  the 


The  Pacific  Fleet  Fisits  San  Francisco     141 

land  would  be  enforced,  they  calmed  down  a  bit  and 
went  out  of  town  for  their  health. 

"There  was  a  most  remarkable  minister  here  then, 
William  Taylor.  He  was  the  same  man  who  intro 
duced  eucalyptus  trees.  During  the  worst  days  of 
'49  and  '50  he  preached  in  the  streets  every  Sunday, 
to  enormous  crowds.  He  didn't  mince  matters 
either,  but  spoke  his  mind  out  about  gambling  and 
drinking  and  killing.  He  spoke  most  informally 
and  used  to  address  the  people  personally  who  came 
to  hear  him.  He  was  loved  especially  by  the  sailors 
whom  he  tried  to  help.  But  in  all  the  seven  years 
of  his  street  preaching,  he  never  allowed  a  collection 
to  be  taken  up  for  himself." 

"What  happened  to  him,  Dad?"  asked  Mary. 
"Did  they  kill  him?" 

"No,  he  went  to  be  a  missionary  somewhere  in 
Africa  or  Asia,  I  think." 

"Why  aren't  there  more  really  great  men  now, 
Daddy?  The  people  I  know  are  all  about  the  same. 
I  don't  know  any  heroes." 

"Why,  yes  you  do.  There  were  plenty  of  heroes 
in  the  great  war,  and  some  your  own  cousins." 

"Oh,  in  war,  of  course.  But  I  mean  in  peace 
times.  They  don't  brave  dangers  like  the  old 
pioneers." 

"You  ought  to  read  the  stories  of  the  winners  of 
the  Carnegie  medals  each  year.  There  is  certainly 
plenty  of  heroism  there.  Then  think  of  the  scientists 
who  brave  danger  all  the  time  in  their  research  work. 
Remember  Reed,  who  discovered  the  yellow-fever 
germ.  Take  Madame  Curie,  who  discovered  the 


142  Mary  in  California 

uses  of  radium,  knowing  all  the  time  what  a  danger 
ous  tool  she  was  experimenting  with." 

"But  I  don't  know  Madame  Curie  or  the  Carnegie 
medal  people,"  objected  Mary. 

"Maybe  I  can  contrive  an  introduction  some  time. 
I  knew  a  man  once  who  slept  in  a  tent  down  in  a 
place  infested  with  yellow  fever.  He  did  it  to  prove 
that  unless  he  were  bitten  by  a  particular  kind  of 
mosquito,  he  wouldn't  catch  the  fever.  He  even 
slept  in  the  bedding  that  had  been  used  by  a  yellow- 
fever  patient." 

"Oh,  Daddy,  did  he  catch  it?" 

"Certainly  not.  But  that  showed  to  the  world 
that  the  health  of  that  place  depended  on  the  killing 
of  the  mosquito,  and  had  nothing  to  do  with  climate 
or  night  air.  That  fellow  was  pretty  brave,  I 
think." 

"But,  Daddy,  he  knew  he  wouldn't  catch  it, 
didn't  he?" 

"You  can't  be  certain  of  anything  in  science  until 
it  is  proved.  But  if  you  won't  grant  his  hero 
ism,  how  about  the  other  fellow  who  deliberately 
got  himself  bitten  by  a  poisonous  mosquito,  to 
prove  that  that  was  the  way  the  fever  could  be 
caught?" 

"Yes,  he  was  brave,  Daddy.  I  wouldn't  have 
liked  to  do  that.  Still,  I  think  it  would  be  easier 
than  doing  what  those  early  settlers  did.  Think  of 
the  lonely  plains  and  the  Indians  and  hunger  and 
thirst  and  wild  animals.  How  did  they  ever  do  it? 
and  they  took  children,  too,  didn't  they?" 

"I  often  wonder  how  the  youngsters  did  survive," 


The  Pacific  Fleet  Visits  San  Francisco     143 

said  her  father.  "Did  you  ever  hear  of  Virginia 
Reed?" 

"No.    Who  was  she?" 

"She  was  one  of  the  children  we  were  speaking  of, 
a  twelve-year-old  girl.  In  the  midst  of  the  worst 
part  of  the  journey  through  the  wilderness  her  father 
got  into  trouble  with  one  of  the  other  men.  He 
was  declared  to  be  in  the  wrong,  and  was  sentenced 
to  banishment.  He  was  turned  out  of  camp  with 
his  horse,  without  a  gun  or  food.  But  that  night 
after  dark  Virginia  and  a  young  man  she  had  per 
suaded  to  go  with  her  followed  Mr.  Reed's  horse 
by  the  tracks  in  the  sand.  They  carried  his  rifle  and 
food  and  drink.  If  they  were  discovered  by  their 
own  people  or  were  found  by  Indians,  they  knew  it 
would  mean  death.  They  could  hear  wolves  and 
wild  cats,  not  to  mention  coyotes.  It  was  a  terrible 
trip,  but  they  finally  found  the  man,  who  in  despair 
had  given  up  all  hope.  You  can  imagine  his  joy  at 
seeing  his  brave  little  daughter  and  getting  back  his 
trusty  gun.  Virginia  wanted  to  stay  with  her  father, 
but  he  would  not  allow  it.  So  she  and  her  friend 
crept  back  to  camp  again,  undiscovered,  and  told 
Mrs.  Reed,  who  was  quite  heartbroken,  the  good 
news  of  their  adventure." 

"Wasn't  she  wonderful,  Dad?  I  wish  I  could  do 
things  like  that." 

"Well,  I  hope  you  may  never  have  to  do  it  for 
me.  Perhaps  now  we  have  lost  the  ring,  we  can 
look  forward  to  an  uneventful  life." 

"What  is  an  uneventful  life?"  asked  Trix. 

"What  we're  doing  now,"  laughed  the  Doctor, 


144  Mary  in  California 

jumping  up.  "Let's  take  a  look  around.  This  is 
almost  too  uneventful." 

"I  want  to  go  too,"  said  Trix.  "Where  are  you 
going?" 

"Just  for  a  walk.  I  don't  believe  we  can  find  a 
better  place  to  see  from  than  this.  But  I  would  like 
a  little  excitement." 

"When  will  the  boats  come?"  asked  Trix. 

At  that  moment  we  heard  a  very  faint  sound 
like  a  distant  gun. 

"What  was  that?"  asked  Mary. 

"I  believe  they  are  coming,"  cried  the  Doctor. 
"Where  are  the  field  glasses?" 

"Let  me  look;  let  me  look!"  was  Trix's  cry. 

"Yes,  I  can  see  them  through  the  glasses — way 
off  there  to  the  left.  Just  coming  in  through  the 
Golden  Gate.  No,  Trix,  you  must  wait  till  your 
mother  has  looked." 

"There  isn't  anything  much  to  see  yet,  silly,"  said 
Mary.  "Wait  till  they  come  nearer." 

The  little  black  bobbing  hulls  were  not  much  to 
see,  in  truth.  But  they  were  coming  steadily  nearer 
over  the  sparkling  sea,  with  the  white  foam  tossing 
from  their  bows.  We  could  see  the  white  smoke 
from  their  guns  and  then  later  could  hear  the  report. 
The  guns  at  the  fort  began  to  answer,  and  people 
cheered  and  waved  flags,  and  handkerchiefs  and 
napkins  from  their  lunch  baskets.  Some  enthusi 
asts  even  threw  their  hats  in  the  air. 

Nearer  and  nearer  came  the  stern  gray  ships, 
their  battle  turrets  dark  against  the  sky.  Through 
the  glasses  we  could  see  them  plainly,  even  to  the 


The  Pacific  Fleet  Fisits  San  Francisco    145 

sailors  on  the  decks  and  in  the  rigging.  It  was 
a  sight  to  thrill  the  heart  of  even  the  most  peaceful 
minded.  Faintly  over  the  water  came  the  strains  of 
"The  Star-Spangled  Banner,"  played  by  the  band 
on  one  of  the  ships.  Bright  against  the  sky  floated 
the  stars  and  stripes  from  the  stern  of  each  boat. 

"I  am  glad  they  are  coming  back,  not  going  out  to 
war,  Mother,"  whispered  Mary.  "I  can  see  the  men 
so  plainly.  I  suppose  a  lot  of  them  may  have  been 
in  the  war,  don't  you  think  so  ?" 

"I  shouldn't  wonder.  See  the  submarines  there, 
Mary,"  said  her  father.  "See,  Trix,  that  is  a  sub 
marine,  over  there.  Your  eyes  are  so  good,  you  can 
see  it  without  the  glasses."  He  lifted  the  youngster 
on  his  shoulders. 

"Is  it  that  funny  little  one?  Oh,  Dad,  please  let 
me  .look  through  the  glasses,"  begged  Trix. 

It  took  her  a  few  minutes  to  manage  them.  But 
suddenly  she  exclaimed,  "Why,  Dad,  there  is  a  goat 
or  something  on  the  big  boat;  and  oh,  I  can  see  the 
men!  Why  it's  right  up  close.  How  can  it  get  so 
close?  Why,  where  is  it?"  she  added,  as  she  put 
the  glasses  down  and  the  boat  receded  again  into 
the  distance. 

So  we  stood  and  watched  the  great  fleet  go  by, 
amidst  the  shouts  of  the  crowds,  till  it  vanished 
about  the  point  of  land  and  disappeared  from  sight. 

"Oh,  let's  go  down  to  the  shore  and  try  and  catch 
a  last  glimpse  of  them,"  begged  Mary. 

"I'd  rather  not  take  Trix  down  in  the  crowds. 
Why  don't  you  and  your  father  go?  We  will  wait 
here,"  I  suggested. 


146  Mary  in  California 

"Come  on,  Dad,  come  quick,"  and  Mary  started 
off  toward  the  shore. 

The  people  around  us  followed  like  sheep,  and 
soon  Trix  and  I  were  deserted,  much  to  her  disgust. 

"I  want  to  see  the  boats,  too,  Mother,"  she 
said. 

UI  don't  believe  they  will  see  anything  more. 
Come,  let's  set  out  the  rest  of  the  lunch  and  get  it 
ready  for  them  when  they  come  back." 

"Are  we  going  to  have  a  fire?" 

"No,  I  don't  believe  we'll  bother." 

We  unpacked  the  rest  of  the  lunch.  There  was 
a  wonderful  looking  pie  that  Maria  had  made  for 
us  and  some  stuffed  eggs. 

"Do  we  have  to  wait  for  the  others?"  asked 
Trix.  "Can't  we  eat  ours  now?" 

"I  think  we  had  better  wait.  They  won't  be 
long." 

But  it  was  hard  to  restrain  Trix  as  the  minutes 
dragged  on  and  the  others  did  not  return. 

"Mother,  some  ants  are  eating  my  sandwich," 
said  Trix  finally.  "I  want  to  eat  it  myself." 

So  I  divided  the  remaining  food  into  four  por 
tions,  and  Trix  made  short  work  of  her  share. 

"I  shall  not  even  leave  one  crumb  for  those  horrid 
ants,"  she  remarked.  "And,  Mother,  you'd  better 
look  out  for  the  other  things  'cause  a  whole  family 
of  ants  are  going  for  them." 

But  before  the  ants  had  been  able  to  get  even  a 
portion  of  a  meal  the  Doctor's  familiar  whistle  was 
heard  and  he  and  Mary  appeared.  They  were  hot 
and  hungry,  and  had  seen  no  boats. 


The  Pacific  Fleet  Visits  San  Francisco     147 

"Oh,  Mother,  it  was  such  a  crowd,"  said  Mary. 
"They  were  so  mussy  and  tired  and  the  place  was 
full  of  papers  and  banana  peels.  But  who  do  you 
think  I  saw  in  the  crowd?  El  Lobo !  I  am  sure  of 
it.  He  saw  me,  too,  and  tried  to  follow  us.  But  he 
couldn't  in  the  jam.  Do  you  suppose  he  thinks  I 
still  have  the  ring?" 

"It  is  astonishing  how  bold  he  is,"  observed  the 
Doctor.  "He  is  wanted  by  the  police  for  that  train 
holdup,  and  yet  here  he  is,  wandering  without  dis 
guise  through  such  a  crowd  as  this.  I  have  a  great 
mind  to  give  a  tip  to  the  nearest  policeman.  I  hate 
to  think  of  that  fellow  at  liberty." 

"Let  the  police  look  out  for  him  themselves,"  I 
said.  "Let  us  not  get  mixed  up  in  anything  more !" 

"But  I  want  to  get  my  ring  back,"  murmured 
Mary.  "My  goodness,  Mother,  what  a  wonderful 
pie  this  is  of  Maria's.  I  wish  she  could  come  east 
with  us." 

"By  the  way,  how  is  'BoneyY  hair  getting  on?" 
asked  the  Doctor.  "I  have  been  so  busy  that  I 
forgot  to  look.  Trix,  do  you  know?" 

"He's  getting  white  woolly  stuff  all  over  his  back," 
answered  Trix.  "It's  awful  funny." 

"I  should  think  it  might  be." 

"If  only  Maria  wouldn't  wash  me  so  much!  She 
washes  me  in  places  you  never  did,  Mother." 

"Nonsense,  Trix,  I  washed  you  all  over,"  I  ob 
jected  indignantly. 

"But  not  every  day.  And  you  used  to  let  me  wash 
myself  and  then  I  could  skip,  but  Maria  washes  me 
herself.  She's  awful." 


148  Mary  in  California 

"She  loves  you,  Trix,  and  she's  just  as  good  to 
you  as  she  can  be,"  said  Mary.  "She  takes  you  all 
over  and  gives  you  things." 

The  last  traces  of  the  picnic  were  cleaned  up  or 
buried,  so  we  all  arose  and  started  back  toward  the 
far  distant  trolley.  The  roads  were  comparatively 
free  by  this  time,  but  the  walk  seemed  very  long 
and  hot.  Trix  was  tired  and  wished  she  were  home 
with  Maria.  But  even  the  longest  way  must  end, 
and  at  last  the  welcome  sound  of  a  trolley  gong 
could  be  heard. 

"Dad,  you  will  take  us  on  board  one  of  the 
ships,  won't  you?"  begged  Mary. 

"If  I  can,  I  certainly  will." 

"Me,  too,  Dad?"  asked  Trix. 

"The  whole  family,"  answered  her  father.  "We 
will  all  hang  together  or  we  will  all  hang  separately." 

"Daddy,"  whispered  Mary  as  we  got  on  the 
crowded  trolley  at  the  gate  of  the  park,  "I  saw 
El  Lobo  get  on  this  car." 

"It  may  be  just  a  happen-so,"  he  responded.  "But 
if  that  man  tries  to  follow  us,  I'll  report  him  to 
the  police.  I  won't  stand  for  any  nonsense." 

We  were  a  tired  party  when  we  arrived  at  the 
ferry.  This,  too,  was  crowded,  but  at  least  there 
was  fresh  air  on  the  upper  deck,  and  the  possibility 
of  sitting  on  the  edge  of  a  lifeboat  or  a  coil  of 
rope. 

Presently  Mary  left  us  to  buy  some  odds  and 
ends,  and  we  stood  and  admired  the  gulls  with 
Trix.  We  could  see  the  fleet  anchored  to  the  south 


The  Pacific  Fleet  Visits  San  Francisco     149 

of  us.  We  were  almost  across  the  bay  before  Mary 
returned,  in  high  excitement. 

"Daddy,  I've  spoken  to  El  Lobo,"  she  whispered. 
"He  asked  me  if  we  had  the  ring  and  I  told  him 
no.  I  said  the  Chinese  secret  society  had  it,  and 
that  he  could  not  get  it.  I  told  him  he  couldn't 
wear  it,  anyway,  because  he  wasn't  the  chief  of  the 
society,  and  they'd  kill  him  if  he  wore  it.  He  asked 
me  if  I  wanted  the  ring  very  much,  and  I  said  yes. 
He  asked  me  how  much  we'd  give  for  it,  and  I  said 
a  lot.  He  wanted  to  know  if  we'd  give  five  hundred 
dollars.  I  laughed  and  said  no.  He  said  he'd  get 
it  for  me  for  five  hundred  dollars.  Then  I  came 
back  here.  I  knew  you  wouldn't  give  that  much, 
would  you?" 

"I'd  sooner  give  him  five  hundred  lashes!" 
growled  fehe  Doctor.  "Don't  ever  talk  to  that 
scoundrel  again,  Mary.  If  you  do,  I  shall  certainly 
inform  the  police." 

"What  would  you  pay  for  the  ring,  Daddy?" 
Mary  asked. 

"Not  a  lead  nickel,"  was  the  answer.  "And  re 
member,  you  are  not  to  talk  to  that  man  again,  and 
if  he  writes,  I  want  to  know  it." 


CHAPTER  XI 

THE    PAGEANT 

'TpHE  evening  before  the  pageant,  the  Doctor  was 
-*•  to  lecture  at  Leland  Stanford  University.  It 
was  out  of  the  question  for  Mary  to  go,  as  she  had  a 
rehearsal,  and  I  hesitated  to  leave  her  and  Trix  alone 
with  old  Maria.  But  I  was  finally  persuaded.  We 
had  heard  so  much  of  Stanford  that  I  was  anxious 
to  visit  there. 

Indeed,  we  found  it  different  from  anything  we 
had  seen.  The  brown  Romanesque  buildings,  the 
great  palms,  the  fountains,  all  seemed  like  the  East, 
and  one  half  expected  to  meet  turbaned  figures  in 
stead  of  very  modern  boys  and  girls.  There  was 
a  great  swimming  pool  out  in  the  open  which  Mary 
and  Dave  would  have  appreciated. 

We  were  taken  over  the  beautiful  modern  library 
and  climbed  the  tower  to  look  over  the  rolling  hills 
and  acres  of  fertile  fields,  flowers  and  vegetables, 
fruit  trees  of  all  kinds. 

"The  college  was  certainly  a  princely  gift  for  a 
woman  to  give  as  a  memorial/'  the  Doctor  said  to 
me,  as  we  descended  the  stairs.  "They  tell  me  that 
during  the  time  the  money  questions  were  being 
settled,  Mrs.  Stanford  and  the  faculty,  too,  lived 
on  next  to  nothing.  It  is  an  inspiring  story  in  the 

150 


The  Pageant  151 

history  of  colleges.     I  wish  Mary  could  see  this 

place." 

"I  wish  she  were  here  too,"  I  said.     "Somehow 

I  feel  uneasy  about  their  being  at  home  alone." 
"But  think  of  Maria  and  the  'bonies.'  " 
"Yes,   I  think  of  them,  but  they  don't  console 


me." 


It  must  have  been  at  about  that  moment,  as  we 
heard  afterward,  that  Mary,  her  rehearsal  over,  was 
eating  a  picnic  supper  with  Winifred  and  several 
others  of  the  cast  under  the  eucalyptus  trees. 
It  was  a  beautiful,  moonlight  night  and  very 
tempting. 

"Let's  start  a  secret  society,"  Winifred  said.  "It 
shall  have  ten  members." 

All  this  Mary  confided  to  me  several  weeks  later. 
The  rules  included  a  monthly  meeting  beside  the 
lake,  after  dark,  and  an  annual  sunrise  swim  in  the 
lake,  to  take  place  on  the  first  night  of  May.  Mary 
objected  that  she  would  not  be  able  to  be  present, 
and  thereupon  she  was  elected  an  honorary  member, 
and  promised  to  get  a  swim  somewhere  on  that  day, 
when  possible.  The  California  Poppy  was  to  be 
their  flower.  The  meetings  were  to  be  always  at 
midnight  under  the  eucalyptus  trees.  They  tried 
to  remain  out  that  night  until  twelve,  but  gradually 
yawns  took  place  of  conversation,  and  finally  some 
one  moved  to  adjourn  the  meeting. 

"I  can't  keep  awake,"  Winifred  herself  observed, 
yawning  prodigiously.  So  slowly  they  trooped  back 
to  their  several  halls. 

Two  of  them  accompanied  Mary  home,  and  found 


152  Mary  in  California 

to  their  consternation  that  Maria  had  locked  arid 
bolted  and  fairly  glued  the  doors  and  windows. 

"Well,  what  are  you  going  to  do  now?"  asked 
Winifred. 

"Wake  up  Trix  or  Maria." 

They  rang  the  doorbell  without  effect,  and  then 
threw  stones  at  the  upper  window.  Finally  a  head 
swathed  in  clothes  appeared  at  the  window  and 
Maria,  who  always  spoke  German  when  excited, 
demanded,  "Ver  ist  da?" 

"I'm  sorry  to  wake  you.     It's  me,  Mary." 

The  head  looked  out  further  and  presently  dis 
appeared.  In  a  few  minutes,  Maria,  in  a  large 
canton  flannel  nightgown  and  carpet  slippers,  opened 
the  door  just  enough  to  allow  Mary  to  slip  in. 

"Remember  that  we  must  always  write  to  each 
other  on  the  anniversary  of  the  founding  of  the 
society,  no  matter  where  we  are,"  whispered  Wini 
fred. 

"We  can't  all  write  to  each  one  of  us,"  Mary 
objected. 

"No,  all  send  word  to  me,  or  whoever  happens  to 
be  grand  commander,  what  you  are  doing,  and  I 
will  send  the  word  around.  Don't  tell  any  one. 
Good  night." 

Maria  gave  her  charge  a  good  scolding. 

"Vat  time  of  night  for  a  goot  girl  to  be  coming 
home,"  she  said.  "I  vill  tell  your  Popper  und 
Mamma." 

But  somehow  Mary  bribed  her  not  to. 

"I  will  tell  Mother  myself,  some  time,"  she 
promised,  "if  only  you  won't." 


The  Pageant  153 

So  it  was  that  I  heard  about  the  secret  society 
many  months  later.  Will  there  ever  be  another 
meeting,  I  wonder? 

The  day  of  the  pageant  was  unusually  clear  and 
pleasantly  warm.  At  three  we  all  gathered  beside 
the  lake,  which  reflected  in  its  clear  blue-green  the 
gay  colors  and  tall  shapes  of  the  eucalyptus  trees. 
It  was  hard  to  tell  where  land  began  and  water 
ended.  The  visiting  dignitaries  from  England  for 
whom  the  play  was  given  were  seated  with  the 
President  of  the  college.  The  bright  colored 
dres?es  of  the  audience  made  them  seem  almost  like 
part  of  the  performance. 

Through  the  trees  came  a  group  of  lovely  dancers, 
the  mists  of  the  dawn,  and  following  them,  Manalar, 
Sun  goddess  and  mother  of  the  ancients. 

Then  the  Indians,  children  of  nature,  appeared 
with  their  tents,  and  started  out  to  hunt.  It  seemed 
hard  to  believe  that  we  were  not  looking  through 
magic  glasses  into  the  past.  While  the  Indians 
were  hunting,  a  chorus  of  wild  flowers  danced 
about.  Poppies,  cornflowers,  bluebells,  dandelions, 
in  the  gayest  of  bright  colors,  flitted  in,  and  Trix 
recognized  Mary  and  Cynthia  among  the  yellow 
poppies. 

Presently  the  Indians  returned  in  triumph  from 
their  hunting,  to  Trix's  great  delight.  She  preferred 
them  to  the  flower  spirits. 

"Are  they  real  Indians?"  she  asked.  "Did  they 
come  from  New  Mexico?" 

uOf  course  they  aren't,"  replied  young  Jack,  the 
nine-year-old  son  of  the  President.  "Why,  there's 


154  Mary  in  California 

Nancy  and  Eleanor  and  lots  of  the  girls.  They  are 
just  pretend  Indians. " 

Trix  was  finally  convinced  when  she  recognized 
her  old  friend  Winifred  in  the  young  hero,  Cocopah, 
whose  wedding  with  the  beautiful  maiden  Matilija 
was  celebrated  in  the  true  Indian  fashion.  Presents 
were  exchanged  and  Cocopah  carried  his  bride  to 
his  tepee  or  tent  while  the  fathers  and  relatives 
spread  seeds  and  grain  before  their  path  to  signify 
the  good  wishes  of  all  for  fruitfulness  and  plenty. 
The  strange,  primitive  Indian  dances  with  which 
they  celebrated  the  wedding  were  interrupted  by 
the  strains  of  a  Latin  hymn,  and  a  weary  company 
of  Spanish  missionaries  appeared.  They  were  made 
welcome  by  the  hospitable  red  men,  who  took  a 
childish  interest  in  the  red  clothes  and  strings  of 
beads  which  the  padres  brought.  Only  the  old  chief 
and  Cocopah  and  his  bride  were  suspicious  and 
followed  afar  off. 

"Is  it  all  over?"  demanded  Trix,  when  the  Indians 
disappeared  behind  the  hill. 

"No,  indeed,"  answered  Jack.  "There's  going 
to  be  a  war  dance,  and  lots  of  exciting  things." 

There  was  an  interlude  when  the  beautiful  Mana- 
lar  appeared  and  sorrowfully  led  away  the  wild 
spirits  of  tree  and  wood  who  had  dwelt  so  happily 
with  the  Indians,  but  could  not  abide  the  white 
man  and  his  ways. 

"Aren't  the  Indians  coming  back,  Mother?"  Trix 
wanted  to  know. 

"Don't  you  think  this  is  pretty?"  I  asked.    "Don't 


The  Pageant  155 

you  like  to  see  them  dancing  among  the  dark  oaks 
and  the  great  tall  eucalyptus  trees?" 

"I  would  like  to  dance,  too,"  said  Trix.  "Why 
couldn't  I  have  been  a  little  Indian?" 

The  second  part  of  the  pageant  showed  the 
baptism  of  an  Indian  baby.  But  the  ceremony  was 
rudely  interrupted  by  a  whirlwind  dance  of  the 
ancient  spirits,  who  appeared  to  lead  the  Indians 
back  to  their  old  faith. 

uNow  comes  the  war  dance,"  whispered  Jack. 

The  sound  of  the  war  drums  and  the  war  chant 
of  the  savages  could  be  heard,  and  presently  Trix 
was  delighted  and  half  fearful  at  the  antics  of 
the  Indians,  who  finally  rushed  off  to  massacre 
the  padres.  But  the  Indians  were  repulsed,  and 
fled  to  the  hills. 

Only  the  lovely  bride,  Matilija,  remains,  search 
ing  for  her  lover,  who  has  not  returned  with  the 
braves. 

The  old  order  has  changed  and  the  white  man 
is  the  conqueror.  Trix  hid  her  head  on  my  shoulder 
and  cried  when  poor  Cocopah  staggered  in  and  fell 
beside  Matilija,  whose  mourning  was  cut  short  by 
a  bullet  from  the  Spaniards. 

"It's  not  real,  Trix,"  whispered  her  father. 
"They  are  just  pretending." 

"But  I'm  so  sorry  for  them,"  murmured  Trix. 

"Look,  Trix,  what  is  coming,"  I  said. 

Springing  from  the  ground  apparently  came  two 
lovely  white  figures,  the  Matilija  Poppies,  who  em 
bodied  the  spirits  of  the  lovers,  united  in  death. 


156  Mary  in  California 

"I  don't  care,"  said  Trix.  "Why  did  Winifred 
have  to  be  dead?" 

Nor  was  she  happy  again  until  the  pipe  of  peace 
was  smoked  between  the  Indians  and  their  con 
querors  and  companies  of  Spanish  marched  in  with 
supplies  and  reinforcements  for  the  padres. 

"I  confess  I  sympathize  with  Trix,"  said  the 
Doctor,  as  we  arose  to  go.  "It  is  a  sad  play,  and 
only  too  true.  With  our  boasted  civilization  we 
have  done  a  lot  of  harm  to  the  weaker  races." 

Mary  joined  us  in  her  pretty  yellow  dress. 

"Wasn't  it  lovely,  Mother?"  she  wanted  to  know. 
"I  don't  think  I  ever  saw  anything  so  beautiful. 
Wasn't  Winifred  fine?  She  looked  so  like  an 
Indian  with  her  black  hair  and  eyes.  I  am  so 
sorry  it's  over.  I'll  never  have  such  a  good  time 
again." 

"There  was  some  one  else  who  looked  pretty," 
observed  her  father.  "Yellow  is  very  becoming  to 
you,  Mary." 

"Did  you  really  think  I  looked  well?  I  am  so 
glad.  Won't  you  come  and  tell  Winifred  you  liked 
it,  because  none  of  her  family  are  here,  and  I  think 
she's  sort  of  blue." 

So  we  hunted  up  the  hero  and  congratulated  her. 

"I  wish  your  father  and  mother  and  your  Indian 
friends  could  have  seen  you,"  said  the  Doctor. 
"They  would  have  been  proud  of  you." 

"It  was  a  fine  pageant,  wasn't  it?  I  think  every 
one  did  wonderfully.  They  say  the  English  people 
are  delighted.  We  are  going  to  have  a  dance  and 
a  spread.  Mary  can  come,  can't  she?" 


The  Pageant  157 

"Surely,"  I  replied,  "if  some  one  will  walk  home 
with  her.  Do  you  stay  in  your  costumes?" 

"No,  but  we  have  our  pictures  taken  right  away. 
We'll  see  Mary  home.  And  thanks  for  liking  our 
play." 

"Mary  is  surely  having  a  good  time,"  observed 
the  Doctor.  "I  am  afraid  home  doings  will  seem 
quite  tame  when  she  gets  back  to  New  England 
again." 

"The  West  has  treated  us  all  very  well,"  I  re 
marked.  "What  fine  hospitable  people  we  have  met, 
and  how  friendly  they  have  been  to  us." 

"It  is  the  pioneer  spirit,  I  think,"  the  Doctor  said. 
"In  the  days  of  the  frontier  the  traveler  found  a 
hearty  welcome  after  the  dangers  and  trials  he  had 
passed  through.  I  think  their  descendants  are  keep 
ing  up  the  tradition.  May  it  never  pass  away  from 
the  West  as  it  has  to  some  extent  from  the  East." 


CHAPTER  XII 

TAMALPAIS  AND  MUIR  WOODS  —  TRIX  GETS  LOST 


afternoon  in  November  the  Doctor  received 
a  letter  from  Mr.  Norton.  It  said  that  they 
had  suddenly  decided  to  go  out  and  visit  the  big 
trees  in  Sequoia  Park.  They  were  going  over  the 
week-end,  and  could  they  take  Dave? 

"I  say,  let  him  go,"  said  his  father.  "And  what 
do  you  think  of  the  idea  of  our  going  out  to  Muir 
Woods,  Tamalpais,  and  Bolinas  over  the  week-end 
while  Dave  is  visiting  the  big  trees  elsewhere?" 

"How  about  Mary's  school?"  I  objected. 

"It  won't  hurt  her  to  take  a  day's  holiday.  We 
can  go  to  Muir  Woods  Friday,  spend  two  nights 
there  or  on  Tamalpais,  get  the  stage  to  Bolinas 
Saturday  morning,  and  spend  'Sunday  afternoon 
swimming.  We  can  return  Monday.  It  sounds 
good  to  me.  There  is  to  be  some  sort  of  conference 
here  Monday  morning,  and  I  have  no  lecture." 

"Yes,  but  Mary.  She  will  lose  two  days  of 
school." 

"It  can't  be  done  in  less  time,  so  I  think  she  will 
just  have  to  lose  them.  She's  standing  well  in  her 
classes  and  a  holiday  will  do  her  good." 

So  it  was  decided.  The  Doctor  sent  off  a  letter 
to  Mr.  Norton  and  to  Dave's  school,  and  we  pre 
pared  our  camping  things  and  bathing  suits  for  the 

158 


Tamalpais  and  Muir  Woods — Trix  Gets  Lost  159 

four-day  trip.  Now  that  the  pageant  was  safely 
over  it  seemed  wise  to  do  our  sightseeing  as  soon 
as  possible. 

"We  may  have  rain,  so  go  prepared  for  it.  But 
it  won't  be  any  wetter  than  the  rains  at  home." 

"It  was  nice  to  be  able  to  count  on  the  weather 
in  September,"  I  remarked. 

"But,  Daddy,"  said  Mary,  "Winifred  says  no 
one  goes  in  swimming  in  Bolinas  now.  It's  too 
cold." 

"If  it  is  too  cold,  we  won't  go  in,"  answered 
her  father.  "I  don't  believe  it's  colder  than  on 
the  coast  of  Maine.  And  at  least  we  can  picnic  on 
the  sands.  I  must  say  I  like  the  uncertainty  of  not 
knowing  how  the  weather  will  work  out,"  he  added. 
"I  got  tired  of  nothing  but  sunshine  and  dryness. 
They  tell  me  the  beach  is  beautiful  at  Bolinas.  I 
hope  we  have  a  clear  morning  for  Tamalpais.  I 
would  hate  to  be  enveloped  in  fog  and  have  no 


view." 


"How  do  we  get  there?"  I  asked.     "It  sounds 
like  a  long  trip,  Tamalpais.     It  is   a   fascinating 


name." 


"We  go  to  Frisco  and  then  by  boat  for  about  an 
hour.  Then  we  take  a  train  at  a  place  called 
Sausolito  and  change  to  the  mountain  railroad  after 
a  short  run.  The  Tamalpais  road  is  eight  miles 
in  length  and  is  the  crookedest  one  in  the  world. 
It  really  is  not  a  long  trip.  Mary  can  attend  morn 
ing  session  at  school  and  we  will  pick  her  up  in 
Oakland." 

As  often  as  we  had  taken  the  trip  through  Oak- 


160  Mary  in  California 

land,  I  never  tired  of  it.  The  beautiful  school 
buildings,  Lake  Merritt  lying  blue  below  the  brown 
hills,  with  the  great  white  hall  facing  it,  the  fine 
municipal  tower,  all  were  most  attractive  to  me. 

"How  would  you  like  to  go  up  on  top  of  the 
tower  and  see  the  prison?"  asked  the  Doctor,  on 
the  Friday  morning  as  we  started  to  get  Mary. 

"Where's  the  prison,  Daddy?"  asked  Trix. 

And,  "Have  we  time?"  I  questioned. 

"Yes,  we  have  time,  and  I'm  rather  curious  to 
see  it.  It  certainly  is  a  healthy  location  for  a  lockup, 
and  I  should  think  would  be  quite  difficult  to  escape 
from.  The  only  access  must  be  the  elevator  and 
perhaps  a  stairway.  Let's  go." 

Permission  was  easily  obtained,  and  soon  we  were 
shooting  up  into  the  high  tower,  much  to  Trix's 
unease. 

"Why  do  we  go  so  fast?"  she  asked.  "It  makes 
me  feel  funny." 

There  were  certain  gates  to  be  passed  after  we 
left  the  elevator.  We  were  not  allowed  to  go  to 
the  cells,  but  we  did  climb  a  steep  spiral  staircase 
with  a  uniformed  attendant,  and  finally  came  out  on 
a  little  balcony  overlooking  the  town  and  surround 
ing  country. 

Trix  was  greatly  excited,  and  wanted  to  hunt  for 
the  lake  where  Maria  had  often  taken  her.  Then 
she  found  the  distant  grove  that  sheltered  Mills 
College,  with  the  brown  hills  back  of  it  where  she 
had  often  climbed. 

To  the  north  lay  Berkeley,  with  the  University 
of  California.  To  the  east  the  charming  Piedmont 


Tarn  alp  ais  and  Mulr  Woods — Trix  Gets  Lost   161 

hills,  while  across  the  bay  San  Francisco  smiled 
on  us  from  her  many  hills.  Beyond  was  the  Pacific, 
that  we  could  not  see,  although  the  fresh  breeze 
brought  with  it  a  smell  of  the  ocean. 

"Do  prisoners  ever  escape  from  here?"  asked  the 
Doctor. 

"I  believe  one  man  did  once.  At  least  he  tried 
it.  But  most  of  them  seem  quite  content  to  stay 
put,"  answered  our  guide.  "Have  you  time  to  stop 
and  see  the  finger-print  room?"  he  added. 

"Oh,  Dad,  what  is  it?  Can't  we  stop?"  begged 
Trix. 

"We  shall  have  to  hurry,  though,"  answered  her 
father. 

So  we  descended  part  of  the  little  staircase  and 
were  led  into  a  small  room  full  of  large  books. 

"Where  are  the  finger  prints?"  asked  Trix. 

The  gentleman  in  charge  was  amused.  He  bade 
Trix  put  her  thumb  on  a  purple-ink  pad  and  then 
place  it  firmly  on  a  piece  of  glass.  She  was  surprised 
and  delighted  to  see  the  strange  criss-cross  of  lines 
that  she  had  made. 

"That  is  your  finger  print,"  he  said  gravely. 
"Now  if  you  ever  get  lost  or  do  something  naughty 
we  can  find  you  by  the  finger  print." 

"How  could  you?  You're  just  fooling,"  re 
sponded  that  young  lady. 

"No,  I'm  not.  Do  you  see  all  those  books? 
Those  contain  the  finger  prints  of  most  of  the  rogues 
west  of  the  Rockies.  It's  a  fine  collection,  and  no 
two  of  them  alike." 

"That  always  seems  so  strange,"  I  said. 


1 62  Mary  in  California 

"It  is  queer,"  he  answered.  "No  two  thumbs  in 
all  the  world  make  the  same  mark.  Here's  one," 
he  added,  opening  one  of  his  books.  "It  was  made 
by  a  Chinaman  we  call  Wing  Wang.  Heaven  knows 
what  his  real  name  is.  He  was  suspected  of  several 
crimes,  the  ringleader  of  a  secret  society  that 
extends  across  the  Pacific.  But  we  couldn't  get  any 
thing  on  him,  so  we  had  to  let  him  go.  He's  quite 
young,  too,  and  if  ever  a  man  had  rascal  written  on 
his  face,  that  fellow'has." 

We  departed  after  expressing  our  thanks,  and  I 
must  say  I  felt  glad  when  the  iron  gates  shut  back 
of  us  and  we  could  descend  freely  in  the  elevator. 

"Most  folks  find  it  easier  to  get  in  than  to  get 
out,"  our  guide  observed  in  parting. 

It  was  necessary  to  hurry  now.  We  found  Mary 
waiting  outside  the  school,  and  all  rushed  for  the 
trolley  and  then  for  the  ferry,  where  we  settled  in 
temporary  peace  till  we  reached  San  Francisco. 
Then  there  was  another  rush  to  the  Sausolito  boat, 
which  we  reached  just  in  time. 

A  strong  wind  was  blowing  from  the  sea,  and 
the  bay  was  full  of  whitecaps.  We  sat  in  the  bow 
of  the  boat  and  ate  the  wonderful  lunch  that  Maria 
had  prepared  for  us.  But  we  had  to  hold  our  hats 
with  one  hand  while  we  ate  with  the  other.  We 
passed  Mare's  Island,  with  its  navy  building  and  a 
training  ship  anchored  beside  it,  and  then  the  island 
with  the  grim  prisons  looming  stern  and  white  in 
the  sunshine. 

It  was  a  beautiful  trip,  and  we  were  almost  sorry 
when  we  reached  Sausolito,  and  changed  to  the  train 


Tamalpais  and  Muir  Woods — Trix  Gets  Lost  163 

along  with  a  crowd  of  people  whose  varied  costumes 
filled  Mary  with  delight.  There  were  more  khaki 
trousers  in  evidence  than  we  were  used  to  seeing 
in  New  England,  and  from  the  back  it  was  hard 
to  tell  often  whether  the  wearer  was  a  man  or  a 
woman,  though  often  the  latter  wore  on  her  head 
a  large  hat  and  veil  which  contrasted  strangely  with 
her  trousered  legs.  Walking  trips  around  Tamalpais 
and  Muir  Woods  were  evidently  popular  among  the 
young  folks  of  the  neighboring  cities. 

The  country  was  beautiful  all  along,  but  especially 
so  when  we  took  the  mountain  railroad  and  began 
the  crooked  climb  to  the  top.  Twisting  and  turning 
and  looping,  it  wound  its  way  over  precipices  and 
up  fearful  inclines.  It  often  seemed  as  though  the 
engine  were  about  to  leap  into  space.  But  some 
how  it  stuck  to  the  track,  and  finally  the  woods 
were  passed  and  the  bare  summit  loomed  above 
us. 

The  view  began  to  open  up  about  us,  and  wonder 
ful  it  was.  The  air  was  so  clear  that  we  were 
assured  by  one  of  the  other  passengers  that  we 
would  be  able  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  white-capped 
Shasta,  three  hundred  miles  away.  So  we  reached 
the  top,  where  we  found  a  comfortable  hotel 
perched. 

Here  we  changed  into  tramping  clothes  and 
started  to  explore  the  bare  summit. 

Trix  was  greatly  impressed  by  the  full  sweep  of 
the  ocean  to  the  west  of  us.  She  kept  saying, 
"Daddy,  is  that  really  all  water?"  and  "How  far 
does  it  go,  Daddy?"  She  was  sure  that  the  great 


164  Mary  in  California 

Sierras  to  the  east  were  the  Rocky  Mountains  of 
her  beloved  New  Mexico. 

We  looked  through  the  great  glasses  and  saw 
Mount  Shasta  as  we  had  been  led  to  hope. 

"Oh,  if  we  could  only  go  there  some  time  and 
climb !"  said  Mary.  "I  do  so  want  to  climb  a  real' 
mountain." 

"You  did  last  summer  in  New  Mexico,"  I 
answered. 

uAnd  got  out  of  breath,  too,"  added  her  father, 
his  eyes  twinkling  as  he  spoke.  "One  has  to  train 
carefully  to  be  a  mountain  climber.  But  I  am  not 
denying  that  it  would  be  fun." 

We  were  all  tired,  for  it  had  been  a  long  day. 
So  we  ate  an  early  supper  and  retired  with  the  sun, 
which  sank  into  the  Pacific  Ocean  from  a  cloudless 
glory  of  gold. 

"We  shall  have  a  fine  morning,  I  think,"  said  the 
Doctor  as  we  turned  in. 

But  when  we  awoke  in  the  morning  a  genie  seemed 
to  have  transported  the  hotel  elsewhere.  Gone  were 
ocean  and  land,  and  only  the  tip  of  Mount  Tamalpais 
could  be  seen  rising  above  the  gray  fog  of  early 
dawn  which  had  come  in  from  the  ocean.  But 
gradually  the  east  colored,  and  suddenly  the  clouds 
were  full  of  color  like  a  great  opal,  soft  pinks  and 
yellows  and  blues  spread  below  us.  Then  the  sun 
rose  through  the  fog,  and  the  whole  air  was  filled 
with  light. 

"It  is  more  beautiful  than  I  could  possibly  imagine 
it,"  said  Mary.  "I  am  glad  we  had  the  fog.  It  is 
wonderful." 


Tamalpais  and  Mulr  Woods — Trix  Gets  Lost  165 

But  before  we  had  to  leave  the  top,  the  fog  had 
drifted  away  and  the  sun  shone  down  on  the  finest 
view  that  one  could  wish  to  see. 

"But  I  am  glad  that  beautiful  mist  was  there  at 
first,  Daddy,"  said  Mary.  "It  was  like  drawing 
a  curtain,  when  it  went." 

"If  Dave  were  here,  I  know  what  he  would  be 
wishing  for,"  said  the  Doctor. 

"I  know  too — an  aeroplane,"  cried  Trix. 

"Oh,  it  would  be  wonderful  to  be  up  in  one.  But 
you  know,  Daddy,  I  believe  it  was  something  like 
what  you  see  from  an  aeroplane  when  we  were  look 
ing  down  on  that  cloud  of  fog  this  morning." 

We  left  Mount  Tamalpais  some  time  after  lunch 
and  descended  part  way,  then  changed  to  a  branch 
road  and  so  finally  reached  Muir  Woods  late  in  the 
afternoon.  It  was  strange  and  mysterious  after 
the  bleak  volcano  we  had  left,  bright  in  the  full 
light  of  the  sun.  Here  the  track  ran  through  dim 
woods  and  finally  ended  near  a  tiny  settlement  of 
rustic  wooden  houses,  the  Inn  and  its  camps. 

"Mother,  it  is  like  a  Hans  Andersen  fairy  tale," 
said  Mary.  "I  am  sure  we  will  meet  with  the  seven 
dwarfs  at  least." 

The  proprietor  of  the  Inn  showed  us  the  camp 
we  would  occupy  and  then  pointed  out  to  us  the 
trail  to  the  redwood  grove.  The  sunlight  flickered 
through  the  pines,  a  quiet,  peaceful  light.  It  was 
hard  to  believe  in  the  gorgeous  colors  in  which  the 
sun  had  clothed  itself  the  evening  before. 

We  descended  a  steep  path  and  finally  found  our 
selves  among  the  gigantic  redwood  trees. 


1 66  Mary  in  California 

"They  are  older  than  the  Roman  Empire,"  the 
Doctor  told  us.  "And  these  are  not  the  oldest  nor 
biggest.  Dave  will  be  seeing  the  sequoias  to-day, 
some  of  which  are  big  enough  to  allow  a  carriage  to 
pass  through  an  arch  cut  through  the  trunk." 

"Look,  Mother,  what  is  that  beautiful  bird 
there?"  asked  Mary.  "Why,  it's  some  sort  of  blue 
jay,  I  do  believe,  only  bigger  and  handsomer  than 
the  fellows  at  home.  Come,  Trix,  let's  see  how 
near  we  can  get." 

They  crept  away  toward  the  bright  blue  creature, 
perching  on  a  branch  of  one  of  the  big  trees.  But 
he  did  not  wait  for  them,  but  flew  a  little  way  and 
then  sat  and  scolded  until  they  got  near  again,  when 
he  repeated  the  performance.  It  seemed  as  if  he 
were  playing  a  game  with  them. 

There  had  evidently  been  a  fire  in  the  grove  at 
some  time  not  so  long  ago,  for  a  few  of  the  trees 
showed  great  charred  scars  where  they  had  been 
burned.  But  the  ancient  giants  were  too  hard  and 
tough  to  be  destroyed,  and  had  survived  the  fire  as 
they  had  the  storms  and  the  centuries. 

It  was  so  silent.  Only  the  scream  of  a  jay  or  the 
song  of  some  distant  bird  broke  the  stillness.  Sud 
denly  we  heard  Mary  call,  "Trix,  Trix,  where  are 
you?  Are  you  hiding  from  me?  Trix!" 

"I  don't  like  the  idea  of  Trix  running  off  alone 
in  these  woods,"  said  the  Doctor,  and  he  joined  his 
voice  to  Mary's. 

There  was  no  answer. 

"Don't  you  suppose  she  is  hiding  and  will  jump 
out  and  scare  us?"  I  said. 


Tamalpais  and  Muir  Woods — Trix  Gets  Lost  167 

"I  don't  know.  She  must  not  run  away  here.  It 
would  be  so  easy  to  get  lost." 

So  we  all  called,  but  there  came  no  answer.  Pres 
ently  Mary  joined  us. 

"We  were  following  that  old  jay,"  she  explained, 
"and  I  had  to  stop  to  fix  my  shoe  laces.  I  thought 
Trix  was  waiting  but  she  must  have  gone  on  ahead. 
We  had  crossed  the  stream  and  were  going  up  the 
other  side." 

"You  don't  suppose  she  went  up  to  the  house?" 
I  said. 

"Mary,  show  me  where  you  were  and  then  run 
up  to  the  Inn  and  see  if  she  is  there.  I  will  go  up 
that  other  bank  and  call.  Come  back  at  once  and 
report,"  he  added. 

So  Mary  pointed  out  the  place  she  thought  they 
had  crossed  and  then  ran  off  up  the  trail. 

"Tell  them  to  send  down  some  one  if  she  isn't 
there,"  called  the  Doctor.  "I  am  worried,"  he 
added. 

We  started  up  the  steep  wooded  slope  shouting 
Trix's  name  at  intervals. 

"I  can't  understand  how  she  could  go  so  far," 
observed  the  Doctor.  "It  can't  have  been  more 
than  ten  minutes  before  Mary  missed  her.  In  this 
stillness  we  ought  to  make  ourselves  heard  at  quite 
a  distance." 

Presently  we  were  joined  by  Mary  and  two  of 
the  employees  of  the  Inn. 

The  short  November  day  was  drawing  to  a  close, 
and  the  shadows  lay  heavy  in  the  woods.  We  began 
to  be  very  much  troubled.  The  idea  of  poor  j 


1 68  Mary  in  California 

little  Trix  all  alone  in  those  dark  woods  fairly  made 
me  sick.  Every  minute  would  take  her  farther 
away  unless  by  some  lucky  chance  she  wandered 
toward  us.  The  night  would  be  cold,  and  who 
knows  what  wild  animals  might  be  lurking  in  the 
depth  of  the  forest. 

Suddenly  Mary  said,  "I  am  sure  she  couldn't  have 
gotten  this  far  without  hearing  us.  I  believe  she 
got  into  some  trouble  and  doesn't  dare  answer. 
Ugh,  there  must  be  a  skunk  around,"  she  added, 
with  a  sniff. 

"Maybe  Mr.  Brown's  skunks  escaped,"  said  one 
of  the  men.  "He  has  a  family  of  them  up  near  the 
Inn." 

"Don't  go  over  that  way,"  cried  Mary,  "it's 
getting  stronger  and  stronger.  He  must  be  right 
there." 

"Keep  still  for  a  second,"  ordered  the  Doctor. 

We  all  stood  silent.  Not  a  sound  could  be  heard 
but  our  own  heart  beats  for  two  or  three  minutes. 

"I  thought  I  heard  a  child  crying,"  said  the 
Doctor.  "I  am  sure  I  did,"  and  he  darted  forward. 

"Dad,  the  skunk  must  be  over  there,"  called  Mary 
in  warning. 

But  the  Doctor  was  right.  Crouching  under  a 
tree,  sobbing,  we  found  miserable  Trixy,  frightened 
and  hating  herself  and  the  horrid  black  pussy  that 
had  led  her  astray,  covered  her  with  bad  smells  and 
then  deserted.  At  her  father's  orders,  Trix  re 
moved  her  dress  and  the  next  moment  was  gathered 
into  his  arms,  weeping  hysterically. 

Mary  sat  down  on  the  ground  and  laughed  until 


Tamalpais  and  Muir  Woods — Trix  Gets  Lost  169 

the  tears  rolled  down  her  cheeks,  while  the  two  men 
bade  us  hasten  home  ere  darkness  came.  But  their 
voices  were  husky  with  merriment.  Poor  little 
Trix!  Her  adventure  might  have  had  a  serious 
ending,  but  as  it  was,  none  of  the  rest  of  the  party 
could  quite  get  away  from  the  funny  side. 

uWhy  didn't  you  answer,  when  we  called?"  asked 
her  father,  who  had  maintained  a  sympathetic 
gravity. 

"Oh,  Daddy,  I  was  scared  to.  I  smelled  so  and 
it  was  my  clean  dress." 

"How  did  you  happen  to  follow  the  wood  pussy?" 

"I  was  afraid  she  was  lost,"  sobbed  Trix.  "But 
I  wish  I  hadn't.  I  thought  it  was  a  nice  kitty." 

This  was  too  much  for  me.  Perhaps  the  relief 
from  our  late  anxiety  made  me  light-headed,  but  I 
had  hard  work  to  keep  from  bursting  into  laughter. 
Even  the  Doctor's  gravity  suffered,  and  he  gave 
forth  a  queer  snorting  sound. 

The  way  did  not  seem  so  far  back,  and  presently 
we  saw  the  lights  at  the  Inn  twinkling  like  stars 
through  the  darkness.  There  were  long  strings  of 
them  leading  from  camp  to  camp. 

"It  is  a  German  fairy  story,  Mother,"  said  Mary. 
"All  those  lights  are  like  Christmas  candles  and  we 
are  bringing  home  the  lost  princess." 

At  this  innocent  remark  from  Mary,  the  Doctor 
suddenly  burst  out  laughing.  "I'd  hate  to  say  who 
the  enchanted  Prince  must  be,"  he  managed  to  say 
between  snickers.  "Oh,  Trix,  Trix,  you  scared  us 
awfully,  but  you  certainly  have  given  us  a  funny 
adventure." 


170  Mary  in  California 

"Daddy,  you're  horrid,"  said  Mary.  "Imagine 
even  a  very  bad  fairy  turning  a  prince  into  a  skunk." 

I  washed  Trix  as  best  I  could,  and  she  ate  her 
supper  clothed  in  a  clean  nightie  and  wrapper.  She 
had  recovered  from  her  misery  and  fear,  and  was 
hungry  and  happy.  But  she  gave  me  an  extra  hug 
as  I  tucked  her  in  that  night.  "Mother,  I'm  glad 
I'm  not  in  the  big  woods  alone,"  she  whispered. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

WE  MEET  EL  LOBO  AND  HAVE   AN  ADVENTURE  AT 
BOLINAS 

WE  were  awakened  early  the  next  morning  by 
a  hungry  blue  jay,  who  perched  on  a  big  tree 
right  beside  our  cabin  and  announced  himself  loudly. 
Indeed,  there  were  a  number  of  these  beautiful  crea 
tures  about  and  they  were  exceedingly  tame,  not  to 
say  bold. 

"If  their  voices  weren't  so  awful,  Mother,"  said 
Mary.  "They  have  such  lovely  clothes,  but  when 
they  screech  like  that,  it's  horrid." 

"Well,"  remarked  some  one,  "I  remember  once 
seeing  a  charming  girl  leaning  out  of  a  window. 
She  was  as  pretty  as  a  picture  till  she  opened  her 
mouth  to  call  to  her  little  sister  who  was  somewhere 
down  the  block." 

"Now,  Mother,  that's  mean." 

"I  didn't  say  who  it  was !"  I  replied.  "But  voices 
are  quite  as  important  as  clothes.  Perhaps  Mr.  Jay 
would  be  too  perfect  if  he  could  sing  beautifully. 
However,  he  did  us  a  good  turn  this  morning,  for 
we  have  to  make  an  early  start." 

It  had  been  decided  not  to  take  the  train,  but 
to  walk  down  through  the  woods  and  meet  the 
Bolinas  stage  at  the  crossroads  over  the  downs  at 
the  foot  of  the  mountain.  But  before  we  went,  the 

171 


172  Mary  In  California 

Inn  keeper  led  Trix  and  Mary  to  see  his  pet  skunks. 
He  had  a  whole  family  of  them,  and  took  one  of  the 
babies  up  in  his  hand. 

"They  are  only  unpleasant  when  they  are 
frightened,"  he  told  them.  "The  little  ones,  they 
are  like  kittens,  they  will  play  and  run  after  things." 

Trix,  after  her  experience  of  the  day  before,  was 
afraid  to  touch  them,  but  Mary  took  one  of  them 
up  and  was  delighted  at  its  soft  fur  and  pretty 
ways. 

After  breakfast  we  started  down  the  trail  through 
the  woods,  feeling  like  early  explorers.  It  seemed 
something  of  an  undertaking  to  reach  the  cross 
roads  in  time  for  the  stage  when  not  one  of  us  had 
been  there  before  or  knew  the  way.  But  the  Doctor 
was  sure  we  could  do  it,  and  so  we  started  through 
the  mysterious  woods. 

"Somewhere  about  here  is  a  grove  where  they 
hold  a  festival  called  the  'High  Jinks,'  "  the  Doctor 
told  us  as  we  walked  along.  "It  consists  of  some 
beautiful  pageant  or  other  and  is  attended  by  artists 
and  notables  generally.  I  have  often  wished  I  could 
see  it.  These  tall  trees  certainly  make  a  perfect 
stage  setting." 

It  was  a  rough  road  we  had  to  travel  after  we 
left  the  pines  and  came  out  on  more  open  rolling 
country.  We  saw  herds  of  cattle  on  the  near-by 
hills  as  we  followed  a  stream  down  through  a 
gully. 

"I'd  hate  to  meet  El  Lobo  here,"  said  Mary 
suddenly.  "It's  awfully  lonesome  country,  isn't 
it?" 


We  Meet  El  Lobo — An  Adventure  at  Bolinas   173 

"I'd  hate  to  meet  him  anywhere,"  remarked  her 
father,  who  couldn't  bear  to  hear  the  bandit  men 
tioned.  "But  it  is  a  wild  place.  I  think  of  the 
Lorna  Doone  country  as  being  like  this,  the  downs 
of  Dartmoor.  Can't  you  imagine  those  picturesque 
ruffians  galloping  about  here,  or  John  Ridd  riding 
off  to  find  Lorna?  I  am  getting  to  love  the  brown 
hills,  though  I  never  thought  I  would.  Of  course  the 
rains  have  freshened  them  up  a  lot." 

It  was  a  gray  day,  and  as  we  reached  the  lower 
country  we  found  mist  enveloping  the  tops  of  the 
hills,  making  them  look  higher  and  more  mysterious. 

Much  to  my  astonishment,  we  finally  reached  the 
crossroads,  fully  half  an  hour  before  the  stage  was 
due.  It  was  a  silent,  lonely  place,  with  a  few  cattle 
afar  off  and  one  solitary  farm.  We  sat  down  beside 
the  road,  for  Trixy  at  least  was  pretty  tired  after 
her  cross-country  tramp.  Presently  we  heard  the 
sound  of  a  motor  cycle,  which  annoyed  the  Doctor. 

"Fancy  using  a  noisy  thing  like  that  in  this  ro 
mantic,  uncivilized  spot,"  he  grumbled.  "I  wonder 
who  the  wretch  can'be?" 

He  did  not  have  to  wonder  long,  for  the  motor 
cycle  came  in  sight  at  that  moment,  going  at  a 
fearful  rate  of  speed.  Just  as  it  approached  some 
thing  apparently  went  wrong  with  the  front  wheel, 
and  in  a  moment  machine  and  rider  lay  in  the  ditch. 
We  all  ran  at  once  to  help. 

Mary  outdistanced  us,  and  called  out,  "Dad,  it's 
El  Lobo  !  It  can't  be  possible  !" 

"I  hope  it  finished  him,"  murmured  her  father. 

But  when  he  came  to  get  the  fallen  cyclist  from 


174  Mary  in  California 

the  wreck  of  the  machine,  El  Lobo  seemed  only 
stunned  and  cut  about  the  head. 

"You  can't  kill  that  creature,"  said  the  Doctor 
disgustedly.  "Now  if  it  had  been  somebody  worth 
while— " 

"I  don't  care  who  he  is,  I'm  glad  he  isn't  killed, 
Dad,"  Mary  remarked.  "And  I  believe  you  are 
too." 

Presently  the  man  opened  his  eyes,  and  his 
surprise  was  laughable.  Surely  we  were  the  last 
people  he  expected  to  see.  Then  he  smiled  unpleas 
antly. 

"You  said  I  could  not  get  the  ring,  Senorita,"  he 
laughed,  looking  at  Mary.  "But  I  have  him  here," 
and  he  pointed  to  his  breast. 

"Look  here,  my  man,"  the  Doctor  said  sharply. 
"Don't  say  another  word  to  my  daughter.  If  you 
do,  I'll  give  you  up  to  the  police.  Remember  you 
are  wanted  at  Santa  Fe  and  other  places." 

El  Lobo  scowled,  and  I  really  do  not  know  which 
made  his  face  more  unpleasant,  his  smile  or  his 
frown. 

"You  had  better  leave  me  alone,"  he  said.  "The 
society  to  which  I  belong  would  take  quick  revenge 
if  I  were  given  to  the  police.  You  know  the  red 
and  black  cord?  The  red  is  blood,  the  blood  of  our 
enemies." 

"Don't  be  a  fool,"  the  Doctor  replied.  "That 
may  be  all  right  down  in  old  Mexico,  but  in  the  East 
where  I  live  they  keep  men  like  you  shut  up  where 
they  belong." 

El  Lobo  muttered,  "Try  it  and  see,"  but  as  he 


We  Meet  El  Lobo — An  Adventure  at  Bolinas  175 

attempted  to  get  to  his  feet,  he  fell  back  and  turned 
very  white. 

"He's  probably  hurt  more  than  I  thought,"  said 
the  Doctor.  "I  wish  a  car  would  come  along  that 
could  take  him  to  some  town.  I  am  afraid  there 
may  not  be  room  for  him  in  the  stage.  Perhaps  we 
could  get  him  to  that  farmhouse.  Mary,  you  run 
up  there  and  ask  for  help." 

"I  thought  you  wanted  him  to  be  killed,"  said 
Mary. 

"Don't  be  foolish,  child.  A  doctor  always  wants 
to  help,"  I  said.  "Run  as  fast  as  you  can." 

It  seemed  a  long  time  before  Mary  returned  with 
two  men  and  a  small  auto.  In  the  meanwhile  all 
the  Doctor's  efforts  to  revive  the  bandit  were  in 
vain.  He  went  back  to  the  farm  with  the  others, 
leaving  the  rest  of  us  to  wait  for  the  stage. 

About  ten  minutes  later  the  great  lumbering  car 
came  in  sight.  We  could  hear  it  puffing  away  from 
a  distance,  even  before  we  saw  it.  There  was  barely 
room  for  us  all,  and  Trix  had  to  sit  on  her  father's 
lap. 

"What  did  you  do  with  Lobo?"  I  asked. 

"He  is  pretty  badly  hurt  internally,  I  think.  The 
farm  people  promised  to  take  him  into  Sausalito  this 
afternoon.  He  seems  to  have  as  many  lives  as  a 
cat,  so  he  may  pull  through.  I  did  all  I  could  for 
him  in  the  short  time  I  had.  I  feel  as  though  I 
ought  to  have  stayed  by  him.  But  keeping  him 
quiet  is  about  all  he  needs  now  till  they  get  him  to 
a  hospital.  The  men  at  the  farm  promised  to  rig 
up  a  sort  of  bed  for  him  in  the  car  and  drive  care- 


176  Mary  in  California 

fully.  They  were  going  to  'phone  to  a  doctor  who 
comes  around  to  see  them  when  they  need  one.  But 
I  feel  like  a  deserter." 

"If  you  are  going  to  be  miserable  about  it,  why 
don't  you  go  back?"  I  asked.  "We  shall  probably 
meet  a  car  going  in  that  direction  before  long.  You 
could  get  a  lift." 

"But  you  and  the  children!  I  don't  know  when 
I  could  join  you.  If  I  went  back  at  all,  I'd  feel 
that  I  had  to  go  on  with  them  this  afternoon  and 
get  him  to  the  hospital.  No,  I  think  I  won't  go  back. 
If  they  do  what  they  say  and  get  that  other  doctor, 
it  will  be  all  right." 

To  the  relief  of  all  of  us,  we  met  a  car  not  much 
later  which  our  chauffeur  informed  us  held  the  local 
medical  man.  We  hailed  him  and  learned  that  he 
was  coming  in  response  to  a  call  from  the  farm. 
The  two  doctors  exchanged  all  necessary  informa 
tion,  and  then  the  stage  proceeded  on  its  way,  with 
a  rumble  and  creaking. 

Presently  the  road  came  out  on  the  cliffs,  and  we 
could  see  straight  down  hundreds  of  feet,  it  seemed, 
to  the  sea  rolling  below  us. 

"I  would  hate  to  meet  any  one  on  this  road,"  said 
Mary.  "It's  always  going  around  corners  where  you 
can't  see  ahead,  and  it's  not  very  wide  anywhere.  I 
wish  he  wouldn't  go  so  fast." 

It  was  a  wild,  beautiful  country,  and  we  traveled 
over  places  that  seemed  impossible  to  eastern  eyes. 
At  last  the  village  of  Bolinas  could  be  seen  across 
a  bay,  and  the  road  descended  rapidly  to  sea  level. 

"This    was    certainly    worth    doing,"    said    the 


We  Meet  El  Lobo — An  Adventure  at  Bolinas  177 

Doctor.  "I  would  not  have  missed  that  drive  for  a 
lot.  I  fancy  the  old  stage  drivers  and  the  pony 
express  men  went  just  that  way,  dashing  around 
corners  in  a  fashion  that  apppeared  reckless,  but  was 
really  perfectly  safe." 

"What  was  the  pony  express,  Dad?"  asked  Mary. 
"I  remember  seeing  a  stamp  in  your  old  collection 
marked  'Pony  Express.'  I  always  wondered  what 
it  was." 

"It  was  the  mail  route  between  Salt  Lake  City  in 
Utah  and  Sacramento.  When  California  became  a 
state  in  1850,  it  was  about  three  thousand  miles  from 
the  central  government.  Mail  came  via  Panama  and 
took  twenty-one  days,  and  came  about  twice  a  month. 
Later  there  sprang  up  a  stage  route  going  through 
Los  Angeles,  New  Mexico,  and  Texas.  That  took 
about  as  long  as  the  steamer  route,  but  came  twice 
a  week.  Then  some  brilliant  fellow,  a  man  named 
Russell,  I  think,  got  the  idea  of  sending  light  mail 
by  pony  across  the  Sierras.  It  took  just  ten  days. 
Think  of  it!  They  traveled  at  the  rate  of  twenty 
miles  an  hour  and  the  men  were  selected  for  light 
weight  as  well  as  courage  and  skill.  They  had  relays 
of  horses  at  frequent  intervals,  and  changed  the 
men  also,  but  not  so  often." 

"But  it  must  have  been  terribly  hard.  How  could 
horses  go  that  fast?"  asked  Mary. 

"They  couldn't,  for  long.  But  I  remember  the 
story  of  one  fellow  who  was  known  as  'Pony  Bob.' 
There  was  a  war  with  the  Paiuti  Indians  on  just 
then,  and  when  Bob  got  to  the  place  where  he  was 
to  change — he  had  ridden  seventy-five  miles,  by  the 


178  Mary  in  California 

way — the  other  man  refused  to  go  on  for  fear  of  the 
redskins.  So  Pony  Bob,  nothing  daunted,  started 
off  on  a  fresh  horse  and  rode  one  hundred  and  ten 
miles  farther,  only  stopping  to  eat  and  to  change 
horses. 

"He  rested  up  for  nine  hours,  and  then  started 
back.  When  he  got  to  one  of  the  stations  he  found, 
to  his  horror,  that  the  Indians  had  been  before  him, 
had  killed  the  men  and  taken  off  the  horses.  So  he 
had  to  go  on  with  the  same  pony." 

"He  was  a  wonder,  Daddy.  I  don't  believe 
people  nowadays  could  ride  like  that,"  said  Mary. 

"I'd  hate  to  have  to  myself,"  answered  her  father. 

"It  must  have  cost  quite  a  bit,"  I  remarked. 

"I  believe  they  charged  five  dollars  for  every  half 
ounce,  which  was  a  good  deal  of  money  for  those 
days.  But  people  did  not  write  as  many  letters  then 
as  they  do  now. 

"Those  pony  riders  had  to  contend  with  the  snows 
of  the  Sierras  as  well  as  dangers  from  Indians.  But 
they  seemed  to  get  through  every  time.  One  man 
rode  between  Santa  Fe  and  a  town  in  Missouri,  a 
distance  of  eight  hundred  miles,  in  five  days  and 
thirteen  hours." 

"You  mean  one  man  rode  all  that  way  without 
any  rest,  Daddy?" 

"He  didn't  have  time  to  rest,  and  he  only  changed 
horses  in  every  one  hundred  miles  or  so." 

"If  that  was  nowadays  the  Society  for  the  Preven 
tion  of  Cruelty  to  Animals  would  get  after  him,"  I 
said. 

"I  imagine  the  horses  had  to  suffer  as  well  as  their 


We  Meet  El  Lobo — An  Adventure  at  Bolinas  179 

masters.  But  the  riders  were  usually  very  fond  of 
their  mounts.  Only  of  course  the  mail  had  to  get 
through  on  time.  They  were  a  wonderful  lot.  I 
suppose  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad  is  safer  and 
faster,  but  it  would  have  been  fun  to  travel  west  with 
the  Overland  Mail." 

By  this  time  Bolinas  was  close  at  hand,  a  strag 
gling  village  broken  up  into  groups  of  houses,  and 
presently  we  stopped  in  front  of  the  post  office, 
where  every  one  got  out.  The  Doctor  had  made 
some  inquiries  of  the  stage  driver,  and  had  found 
that  he  knew  of  two  places  at  least  where  food  and 
rooms  could  be  had.  One  was  close  at  hand  and 
desirable  on  that  account.  For,  "I'm  half  starved," 
Mary  had  been  saying,  and  Trix  clamored  for  her 
lunch.  The  other  hostelry  was  on  the  bluff  over 
looking  the  water. 

"If  they  can  take  us,  I  vote  we  go  there  for  the 
night,"  said  the  Doctor.  "We  want  to  be  near  the 
water  and  get  all  the  swimming  we  can.  But  let 
us  eat  at  once  in  the  place  near  by." 

So  this  was  agreed  on,  and  every  one  felt  better 
after  a  delicious  dinner.  We  found  by  'phoning  that 
the  house  on  the  heights  could  accommodate  us.  So 
we  hired  a  man  to  take  us  the  short  distance,  bag 
and  baggage,  for  the  Doctor  had  decided  that  he 
was  tired  of  carrying  things.  The  street  was  a 
pleasant  one,  and  the  climb  to  the  bluffs  not  difficult. 
The  house  commanded  a  view  of  the  scattered  com 
munity  about,  and  the  great  cliffs  and  the  long  sandy 
beach  below  that  stretched  for  miles. 

It  was  not  long  before  bathing  suits  were  donned 


i8o  Mary  in  California 

by  Mary  and  the  Doctor,  and  the  four  of  us  were 
sitting  lazily  on  the  beach.  The  waves  rolled  in  and 
broke  in  lines  of  white  surf.  Trix  and  I  had  become 
discouraged  and  had  decided  not  to  try  the  swim 
ming. 

"I  like  this,"  said  the  Doctor.    "It's  so  peaceful." 

"Aren't  you  ever  going  in?"  demanded  Mary. 

"Oh,  presently.  But  it  looks  very  cold  in  spite 
of  the  sunny  afternoon  and  I  want  to  take  my  time 
about  it.  I  hope  you  all  brought  down  your 
sweaters." 

"You  ought  to  know,  Daddy,"  remarked  Mary, 
"for  your  head  is  resting  on  a  pile  of  them." 

The  lazy  blue  waves  proved  even  colder  than  they 
looked,  and  neither  of  the  bathers  stayed  in  long. 
They  came  out  spluttering  and  shivering.  But  they 
said  it  was  worth  all  the  time  and  trouble  to  get 
into  the  clear  water  and  be  tossed  about  by  the 
whole  Pacific  Ocean,  as  the  Doctor  phrased  it. 

"Is  it  the  whole  ocean?"  Trix  asked  in  wonder. 
"This  that  we  see?  Where  does  it  go  to  and  what 
is  an  ocean?" 

"It's  a  big  piece  of  water  like  a  lake  only  lots, 
lots  bigger,  and  it  goes  way  over  to  China,  where 
all  the  Chinamen  who  wait  on  the  table  at  Mills 
come  from,"  answered  her  father.  "Let's  have  a 
race  on  the  beach  to  get  warm." 

"But  I  want  to  know  what  makes  the  waves  so 
big  when  they  look  so  little  and  soft,"  Trix  con 
tinued. 

"I  am  afraid  I  can't  answer  that.  But  we  had 
a  pretty  nice  bath  in  this  big  tub,  didn't  we,  Mary?" 


We  Meet  El  Lobo — An  Adventure  at  Bolinas  181 

"I  guess  so.  But  one  dip  was  enough  for  me! 
Ugh!  Let's  go  up  and  dress." 

It  was  decided  to  take  our  supper  down  to  the 
beach.  So  we  next  went  shopping  and  bought  sup 
plies  for  a  picnic  at  a  pleasant  little  store. 

"Where  do  you  suppose  El  Lobo  was  going  when 
we  met  him  traveling  so  fast?"  asked  Mary  as  we 
wandered  toward  the  shore. 

"I  have  been  wondering  that  myself,"  the  Doctor 
answered.  "Wherever  it  was  he  was  in  too  much 
of  a  hurry." 

"Do  you  suppose  we  shall  ever  hear  how  he  gets 
on?"  Mary  said. 

"Maybe  so.  They  know  my  name  and  address 
at  the  farm.  I  told  them  to  let  me  know  what  hap 
pened,  just  out  of  idle  curiosity." 

"Did  you  tell  them  his  name?" 

"Yes,  I  thought  it  was  about  time  the  authorities 
knew  where  he  was." 

We  had  wandered  along  the  shore  for  some  dis 
tance  and  finally  sat  down  at  a  rocky  place  with  the 
great  bluffs  above  us.  Here  the  Doctor  and  Trix 
made  a  fire,  and  we  cooked  bacon  and  eggs.  We 
ate  our  modest  supper,  with  the  noise  of  the  surf 
in  our  ears,  just  as  unconcernedly  as  if  it  had  been 
the  coast  of  Maine.  It  seemed  strange  to  think  of 
seven-year-old  Trix  on  the  shores  of  the  Pacific.  She 
had  been  playing  in  a  little  pool  of  water  in  the 
rocks,  and  presently  called  out,  "Mother,  the  pool 
I  was  playing  with  has  all  gone  into  the  ocean. 
What's  the  matter  with  it?" 

At  the  same  moment  Mary  remarked  specula- 


1 82  Mary  in  California 

tively,  "You  know,  that  rock  I  was  looking  at  when 
we  first  came  has  disappeared." 

"That  looks  as  if  the  tide  were  coming  in.  I  think 
we'd  better  start  home,"  said  the  Doctor. 

We  gathered  our  things  together  quickly,  but  were 
troubled  to  see  how  narrow  the  beach  had  become. 
We  were  forced  right  against  the  bluffs  in  some 
places. 

uWe  have  come  farther  than  we  thought,"  I  said. 
"Can  we  get  back?" 

"We  may  have  to  go  up  the  cliff,"  laughed  Mary. 
"Of  course  we  can  get  back.  But  it's  a  pity  we 
haven't  Dave's  aeroplane." 

Presently  we  came  to  a  place  where  the  water 
seemed  to  have  cut  in.  There  appeared  to  be  a 
path  leading  to  the  top  of  the  bluffs,  but  for  a 
few  yards  our  way  over  the  beach  was  blocked. 

"I  don't  like  this,"  said  the  Doctor.  "I  wish  we 
had  Dave's  aeroplane  indeed.  We  shall  have  to  go 
up  that  path." 

At  that  moment  we  saw  descending  it  a  man  whose 
general  appearance  did  not  appear  reassuring.  He 
was  evidently  Chinese,  though  clothed  like  an 
American  of  the  poorer  class.  He  was  young,  and 
with  a  most  unpleasant  face.  For  some  reason  I 
thought  of  the  finger-print  man  and  his  description 
of  Wing  Wang.  However,  the  newcomer  answered 
the  Doctor's  questions  civilly  enough,  and  informed 
us  that  the  climb  to  the  top  was  short  but  hard,  and 
that  we  had  better  not  try  the  beach  again. 

He  held  up  his  hand  as  he  directed  us.  On  his 
little  finger  he  wore  a  silver  ring. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

THE  ROAD  FROM  BOLINAS  AND  AN  INVITATION  TO, 
A  BASEBALL  GAME 

DID  you  see  the  ring  on  that  Chinaman's  hand, 
Daddy?"  Mary  exclaimed  softly  to  her  father.) 
"I  am  sure  that  it  is  like  mine  or  is  mine.    And  that 
man,  he  looks  like  the  Chinaman  who  stole  it  from' 
you  on  the  boat  going  over  to  San  Francisco.*' 

"That's  right,  he  does.  I  was  wondering  where 
we  had  seen  him  before." 

"And  I  wonder  if  he  isn't  the  man  whose  finger 
prints  they  had  in  the  Oakland  jail,"  I  remarked. 
"Somehow  he  suggests  the  description  that  was  given 
us  there  of  Wing  Wang,  or  whatever  they  called 
him." 

We  walked  along  the  path  for  a  short  distance 
discussing  the  affair.  The  Doctor  was  speculating 
as  to  what  had  brought  him  there  and  whether  the 
stolen  ring  would  enable  the  Oakland  police  to  get 
the  man  they  had  long  been  seeking  a  pretext  to 
catch. 

"I  should  not  wonder  if  the  same  business  brought 
him  and  El  Lobo,"  he  added.  "They  seem  to  be 
a  precious  pair  of  rascals." 

At  that  moment  we  met  two  men  of  rather 
ordinary  appearance,  who  asked  us  if  we  had  seen 
a  Chinaman. 

183 


184  Mary  in  California 

"He  was  dressed  like  a  plain  American,  but  you 
could  tell  he  was  Chinese,"  the  newcomer  said. 

"Is  anything  wrong?"  demanded  the  Doctor. 
"We  saw  such  a  one  about  ten  minutes  ago.  He  was 
going  toward  the  beach,  but  what  he  will  do  there 
I  can't  see  unless  he  is  off  for  a  swim." 

"Is  the  beach  covered?"  questioned  the  stranger. 

"Yes,  the  tide  nearly  caught  us.  Who  is  this 
fellow  anyway,  you  are  hunting?  He  looks  like  a 
tough  customer." 

"He  is,  just  that.  He's  wanted  for  a  number 
of  things.  We  are  plain-clothes  men  from  San 
Francisco.  We're  after  him  to-day  for  a  daring 
holdup  on  the  Sausalito  road.  He  stopped  an  auto 
taking  a  man  to  the  hospital.  The  man  will  probably 
die  as  a  result.  But  the  two  other  men  with  the 
sick  man  fought  off  the  bandit  and  gave  us  a  descrip 
tion  which  enabled  us  to  trace  him  thus  far.  We 
must  hurry  on  now." 

"Good  luck  to  you.  What  did  you  say  his  name 
was?"  the  Doctor  questioned. 

"He's  known  as  Wing  Wang.  This  is  the  first 
thing  we've  ever  been  able  to  land  on  him  although 
he's  known  to  have  been  mixed  up  in  a  lot  of  other 
things. 

"It  looks  as  though  El  Lobo  had  come  to  grief 
again,"  I  observed,  as  the  men  hurried  away. 

"He'd  better  not  have  stolen  the  ring,"  said 
Mary.  "I  told  him  he  had  no  right  to  it  and  that 
the  other  fellows  would  kill  him  if  they  knew  he 
had  it." 

The  day  was  fast  growing  to  a  close  and  the 


The  Road  from  Bolinas  185 

light  so  dim  by  this  time  that  we  had  hard  work 
to  keep  on  the  path  which  wound  along  toward  the 
village. 

Suddenly  we  heard  a  whirring  noise  which  grew 
louder,  and  presently  an  aeroplane  came  into  sight 
flying  fairly  low,  so  that  it  just  missed  the  tops  of 
the  trees. 

"It  is  going  to  land  somewhere  near,"  Mary 
cried.  "I  bet  you  it's  after  that  Chinaman." 

"I  wonder,"  said  her  father,  almost  equally  ex 
cited.  "I'd  like  to  see.  They  can't  land  on  the 
beach,  but  I  suppose  he  may  know  of  a  way  to  get 
up  again,  farther  along.  There  are  plenty  of  places 
on  the  bluffs." 

The  aeroplane  flew  a  little  farther,  and  then  we 
could  hear  the  changed  sound  of  the  engine  as  the 
machine  came  to  earth.  It  was  so  dark  now  that 
we  could  see  nothing.  Then  we  heard  the  firing 
of  shots. 

"Oh,  Dad,  we  must  wait  and  see  what  happens. 
Can't  we  go  back?"  begged  Mary. 

"I  should  think  not,"  I  replied.  But  I  could  see 
that  the  Doctor  was  as  eager  as  Mary. 

"They  may  need  help,"  he  said.  "I  wonder  if  I 
ought  to  go  back." 

"Of  course  you  ought,"  Mary  cried. 

"It  seems  to  me  that  we  need  you  at  this  moment 
more  than  those  detectives,"  observed  some  one. 

But  while  we  stood  in  hesitation,  waiting,  there 
came  a  second  volley  of  shots  and  then  the  whirring 
of  the  aeroplane  could  be  plainly  heard,  as  the 
machine  rose  from  the  ground. 


1 86  Mary  in  California 

"Whatever  has  happened  is  all  over,"  said  the 
Doctor  regretfully. 

"Somebody  may  be  hurt.  You  ought  to  go  and 
see,"  Mary  suggested. 

"There  is  some  truth  in  that.  But  it's  so  dark 
now  I  don't  believe  I  could  find  my  path.  However, 
I'll  go  a  little  way  and  call  out." 

"I  think  Trix  should  get  back  to  our  boarding 
place,"  I  said  firmly.  "I  shall  start  on  with  her 
and  Mary.  It  will  be  hard  enough  to  get  there  as 
it  is  in  the  dark  and  not  knowing  just  how  to  go." 

"You  are  perfectly  right.  Just  wait  a  minute  and 
then  we'll  all  go  on  together,"  the  Doctor  replied, 
much  to  Mary's  disgust. 

It  was  not  long  before  we  heard  voices  and  the 
two  plain-clothes  men  reappeared,  carrying  with 
them  a  limp  form. 

"Did  you  get  him?"  queried  the  Doctor. 

"We  did,  by  all  that's  lucky,"  answered  one. 
"We  had  quite  a  fight  for  it  and  he  almost  made  his 
get-away.  But  there  was  only  one  man  in  the  ma 
chine  and  he  had  to  look  after  his  engine,  so  we 
caught  our  fellow.  He's  pretty  well  smashed.  He 
tried  to  get  into  the  aeroplane  just  as  it  was  starting, 
but  a  shot  took  him  in  the  arm  and  he  tumbled  off. 
We  ought  to  get  him  to  a  doctor." 

"Dad's  a  doctor,"  cried  Trix,  her  eyes  big  with 
excitement. 

"That's  lucky.  Will  you  come  along  with  us?  I 
suppose  you  can't  tell  anything  here,  it's  so  dark," 
the  detective  said. 

"You  might  as  well  get  him  to  a  house,"  answered 


The  Road  from  Bolinas  187 

the  Doctor.  "And  I  want  to  take  my  family  to  the 
place  where  we  are  staying." 

We  lost  our  way  several  times,  but  presently 
reached  the  Inn.  The  good  lady  who  kept  it  was 
more  than  astonished  at  the  procession  that  entered, 
and  was  not  over  pleased  to  have  a  wounded  prisoner 
deposited  with  her  while  the  Doctor  examined  his 
hurts  and  one  of  the  detectives  went  for  an  auto  to 
take  him  away. 

I  hurried  Trix  and  Mary  upstairs,  to  their  great 
disappointment.  But  it  was  fully  eight  o'clock  and 
high  time  for  Trix  to  be  in  bed. 

Presently  Mary,  who  had  been  leaning  over  the 
banisters  to  get  any  information  possible,  joined  me 
with  the  news  that  they  were  taking  the  Chinaman 
away. 

"I  think  he  is  badly  hurt,"  she  added.  "Oh, 
Mother,  what  will  they  do  about  my  ring,  do  you 
suppose?" 

"I  don't  know,"  I  answered.  "But  I  hope  they'll 
bury  it  somewhere." 

Pretty  soon  the  Doctor  reappeared. 

"They  are  taking  him  to  the  hospital,"  he  said. 
"But  I  doubt  if  it  does  much  good.  He  is  in  a  serious 
condition.  It  is  curious  to  think  of  El  Lobo  and  him 
in  the  same  ward,  maybe,  with  the  two  rings  in  their 
possession.  No  good  luck  came  to  either  of  them 
from  wearing  them." 

"Daddy,  it  was  my  ring  he  was  wearing,  wasn't 
it?  And  where  do  you  suppose  El  Lobo  got  the 
other  one?" 

"I  am  sure  I  don't  know.    But  from  what  I  can 


1 88  Mary  in  California 

gather  from  that  detective,  this  Chinaman  was  head 
of  some  secret  society.  I  imagine  El  Lobo  aspired 
also  and  thought  the  ring  would  help  his  claim. 
Wing  Wang  didn't  care  for  the  idea  of  a  rival,  and 
having  had  his  ring  stolen  in  some  way  by  El  Lobo, 
he  promptly  stole  yours.  I  think  it  had  better  stay 
with  him  and  be  buried,  if  necessary." 

"Now,  Daddy,  that's  just  what  Mother  said.  But 
I  want  my  ring  again." 

"There  looks  to  be  small  chance  of  your  get 
ting  it,  so  you  might  as  well  give  it  up.  And 
now  to  bed.  We  have  had  a  long  and  exciting 
day.  Let  us  hope  that  we  may  now  settle  down  in 
peace." 

Mary  joined  Trix,  protesting  that  she  was  not  at 
all  tired,  and  the  Doctor  and  I  sat  for  a  while  in  our 
room,  in  the  darkness,  looking  out  toward  the  ocean 
and  the  starlit  sky  and  hearing  the  long  slow  sound 
of  the  waves  breaking  on  the  sand. 

The  next  morning  we  found  ourselves  bright  and 
early  at  the  post  office,  where  we  mounted  the  stage. 
We  had  more  room  to  spread  ourselves  out  on  the 
return  trip,  and  to  enjoy  the  wonderful  country. 
There  might  be  dozens  of  smugglers'  caves  along 
that  sandy  shore  below  us,  with  the  great  cliffs  rising 
sheer  above.  And  the  rolling  brown  hills  might 
shelter  any  number  of  bandits. 

"It  is  no  wonder  that  one  meets  with  adventure 
in  this  wild,  romantic  country,"  said  the  Doctor. 
"But  what  a  shame  that  they  use  motor  cycles  and 
aeroplanes  instead  of  horses.  I  would  like  to  gallop 
over  these  downs  on  John  Ridd's  great  horse." 


The  Road  from  Bolinas  189 

Mary  asked  the  chauffeur  whether  there  were  any 
smugglers  along  the  coast. 

"There  are  more  below  on  the  Channel  Islands," 
he  answer.  "Sometimes  we  get  them  here — a  Jap  or 
two  may  come  in,  or  a  gallon  of  whiskey.  ,But  they 
are  not  so  plentiful.  The  revenue  officers  keep  a 
pretty  good  lookout  and  the  summer  folks  live  on 
the  beaches.  Did  you  go  around  any  here?" 

"No,  we  just  stayed  on  the  beach,"  answered 
Mary. 

"You  should  have  had  a  drive.  There  are  some 
wonderful  trees  and  wooded  hills  back  a  bit.  Not 
to  mention  the  split  in  the  ground  made  by  the  big 
earthquake." 

"Did  you  feel  it  much  here?"  I  questioned. 

"Yes,  indeed.  As  I  just  told  you,  it  made  a  great 
cleft  in  the  earth,  a  regular  canon.  They  are  bad 
things,  those  earthquakes." 

"Daddy,  what  are  earthquakes?  Do  they  eat 
you  up?"  asked  Trix  anxiously.  "And  will  there 
be  another  one  here?" 

"I  hope  not,  for  some  time  to  come,"  answered 
the  chauffeur.  "One  was  enough  for  me.  But  they 
aren't  animals,  kid,  just  big  shakes  of  the  ground, 
that  make  the  houses  tumble  down." 

"What  makes  the  ground  shake?    How  can  it?" 

"Well,  I've  had  it  explained  to  me,  but  I  guess 
your  Pa  could  tell  you  more  about  it." 

"Tell  me,  Daddy,"  Trix  repeated. 

"Mary,  could  you  explain  to  us?"  asked  her 
father. 

"I  don't  know.     I'll  try.     I  remember  reading  a 


190  Mary  in  California 

lot  about  it  in  the  'Book  of  Knowledge.'  Suppose, 
Trixy,  that  the  earth  was  like  an  apple.  If  the  inside 
of  the  apple  changed  or  shrank  or  got  smaller  or 
anything,  the  outside  skin  would  change.  Maybe 
it  would  get  wrinkles  on  it,  like  mountains,  or 
hollows.  So  the  inside  of  the  earth  changes  and 
the  surface  or  skin  that  we  see  changes  with  it. 
Sometimes  it  changes  very  slowly,  and  it  takes  hun 
dreds  of  hundreds  of  years.  But  sometimes  the 
outside  changes  quickly,  all  of  a  sudden,  and  the 
earth  splits  or  sinks  or  is  thrown  up  into  a  moun 
tain.  Then  it's  an  earthquake.  Parts  of  the  crust 
are  thinner  than  other  parts,  so  that  one  is  more 
likely  to  have  earthquakes.  They  begin  under  the 
sea  sometimes,  too,  don't  they,  Daddy?" 

"Yes,  and  that  causes  what  is  called  a  tidal  wave, 
when  the  sea  rolls  in  on  the  land  in  a  great  wall  of 
water.  It  does  not  occur  very  often  where  people 
can  see  it.  Earthquakes  are  more  usual  in  places 
where  a  strange  thing  known  as  a  fault  occurs. 
That's  a  queer  name  to  give  to  ground.  But  do 
you  remember  the  different  layers  of  rock  in  the 
Grand  Canon,  Mary,  some  of  them  red,  some  blue, 
some  gray?  Sometimes  a  layer,  or  stratum,  will  be 
found  sloping  or  turned  up  on  its  side  instead  of 
lying  flat.  This  happened  long  ago  in  an  early  part 
of  the  earth's  history.  It  is  called  a  'fault,'  and 
seems  to  be  particularly  good  ground  for  earth 
quakes.  There  is  a  'fault'  somewhere  in  these  parts 
which  accounts  for  the  shakings  that  have  occurred. 
Earthquakes  also  like  the  neighborhood  of  vol 
canoes.  Do  you  know  what  a  volcano  is,  Mary?" 


The  Road  from  Bolinas  191 

"Sure,  Daddy." 

"Well,  what  is  it?" 

"I  know,  but  it's  hard  to  explain.  It's  a  hollow 
mountain  with  a  hole  in  the  top  through  which  come 
explosions.  I  suppose  the  heat  and  the  gases  from 
the  middle  of  the  earth  come  out  through  them  and 
bring  fire  and  brimstone  with  them.  And  lava ! 
Just  what  is  lava?" 

"Nothing  but  melted  rock  which  flows  out  from 
the  top  or  the  fissures  or  cracks  of  the  volcano.  It 
flows  down  like  a  thick  burning  mass  and  finally  cools 
off  and  gets  solid  again.  Very  unpleasant  stuff  when 
hot,  I  believe.  Perhaps  you  may  remember  reading 
about  the  lava  in  Herculaneum  and  Pompeii,  which 
were  cities  in  Italy  and  destroyed  a  long  time  ago. 
Did  you  ever  read  'The  Last  Days  of  Pompeii'  ?" 

"Yes,  I  loved  it.  But  it  must  have  been  awful  to 
be  there.  I  guess  I'd  rather  read  about  volcanoes 
than  live  near  one.  At  least  unless  it  was  one  that 
didn't  work  any  more!" 

"I  think  I  agree  with  you.  Yet  there  are  plenty 
of  people  who  do  live  near  them.  I  suppose  they 
hope  that  the  volcanoes  have  stopped  going  off. 
Italy  has  several.  Tamalpais  was  one  once.  These 
towns  around  the  bay  here  make  me  think  of  Italy 
and  the  Mediterranean. 

"Here  we  are  at  Sausalito.  I  wonder  how  long 
we  shall  have  to  wait  for  the  boat?" 

"Not  long,  I  reckon,"  the  chauffeur  said.  "Just 
set  on  the  dock  for  a  while.  I  think  I  see  her  coming 
in.  She's  about  off  Alcatraz  now." 

We  paid  our  driver  and  regretfully  parted  from 


192  Mary  in  California 

the  stage;  for  we  had  enjoyed  our  trip  from  start 
to  finish. 

It  was  pleasant  to  watch  the  tame  white  gulls  on 
the  high  posts  of  the  dock  or  fishing  in  the  blue 
water.  Mary  and  Trix  bought  some  ice-cream 
cones  and  sandwiches  which  we  ate  while  awaiting 
the  ferry. 

"Mary  will  get  back  to  school  just  in  time  for 
afternoon  session,"  I  said. 

"Oh,  dear !  I  wish  I  didn't  have  to !  Can't  we 
stay  and  go  on  board  one  of  the  warships?  You 
promised  we  could,  Daddy." 

"I  think  we  must  put  that  off  until  some  Saturday. 
I  ought  to  get  back  myself  to-day." 

"But,  Daddy,  you  said  you  would  write  to  a 
surgeon  you  knew  who  could  take  us  over  one  of 
the  ships  when  it  wasn't  a  holiday." 

"I  did  write,  but  I  haven't  ha,d  any  answer,  which 
makes  me  think  he  isn't  with  the  fleet." 

"But,  Daddy,  there  may  be  a  letter  waiting  for 
you  now  at  Mills.  Won't  you  'phone  when  we  get 
back  to  San  Francisco?  I  am  sure  Miss  Vincent 
would  look  and  see  if  there  was  any  letter  for  you 
from  Frisco." 

"Suppose  there  were?  I  ought  to  get  back,  and 
so  ought  you." 

"But  just  try." 

"I  can  see  no  harm  in  that.  I  will  'phone  Miss 
Vincent  when  we  get  over  to  San  Francisco.  But 
I  won't  make  any  further  promises." 

The  trip  across  the  bay  was  perfect.  Never  had 
the  white  building  of  the  prison  island  looked  so 


The  Road  from  Bolinas  '193 

dramatic  against  the  blue  of  sea  and  sky.  Never  had 
the  Golden  Gate  stood  out  so  clearly,  without  trace 
of  mist  or  cloud. 

As  we  approached  San  Francisco  and  caught  sight 
of  the  masts  of  the  battleships  and  cruisers  against 
the  sky,  Mary  and  Trix  again  begged  to  be  allowed 
to  visit  them.  But  nothing  further  could  be  gained 
from  the  Doctor. 

uWait  till  we  'phone,"  was  all  the  reply  he  would 
make. 

It  seemed  a  long  time  while  the  ferryboat  was 
docking,  and  the  'phone  booth  sought  and  connec 
tions  with  Mills  College  established.  Mary  and  Trix 
hung  to  the  door  handle  and  made  their  faces  look 
as  appealing  as  possible  while  the  Doctor  'phoned. 
Finally  he  emerged. 

"Nothing  to-day,"  he  said  with  a  melancholy  ex 
pression.  "School  for  Mary,  home  for  Mother  and 
Trix,  desk  for  me." 

"Wasn't  there  any  letter?"  asked  Mary. 

"Well,"  answered  her  father  as  we  walked  briskly 
toward  the  Oakland  ferry  with  its  big  yellow  boats, 
"I  didn't  say  that.  In  fact,  I  believe  there  is  a 
letter." 

"Oh,  Daddy,  you  must  tell  us.  What  did  it 
say?" 

"I  can't  tell  all  that  it  said,  but  I  believe  it  con 
tains  an  invitation  to  lunch  and  to  see  a  baseball 
game  between  the  Navy  and  soldiers  from  the 
Presidio." 

"Oh,  Daddy,  that's  too  wonderful !  Is  it  for  all 
of  us?" 


194  Mary  in  California 

"Can  I  go?  Can  Dave  go?"  demanded  Trix, 
dancing  about  excitedly. 

"I  wish  we  could  get  Dave.  He  has  just  been 
away  for  a  week-end,  though.  But  we'll  do  our 
best.  Do  you  really  think  you  would  like  to  go, 
Trixy?" 

Trixy  waved  her  arms  about  wildly  and  beat  with 
her  little  fists  on  her  father's  arms. 

"Does  that  mean  yes,  or  no?"  he  asked.  "It 
might  mean  anything." 

"Now,  Daddy,  of  course  she  wants  to  go.  Don't 
be  horrid,"  said  Mary.  "Who  is  it  who  is  asking 
us?  Tell  us  all  about  him.  Isn't  it  fine  of  him?" 

"He  was  a  surgeon  on  the  transport  that  took  me 
across  during  the  war.  And  when  I  came  back  he 
happened  to  be  on  the  same  boat.  Also  I  saw  him 
over  in  France." 

"Then  you  haven't  known  him  long?"  Mary 
asked. 

"Men  got  to  know  each  other  quickly  in  those 
days.  I  know  him  well  enough  to  admire  him 
greatly.  His  name  is  Brewster,  and  he  hails  from 
New  England,  I  believe." 

"What  does  he  look  like?" 

"Gracious,  I  don't  know.  Brown  hair,  two  gray 
eyes,  one  nose,  one  mouth — " 

"Now,  Daddy!    Is  he  tall  or  fat  or  handsome?" 

"I  rather  think  he's  not  very  tall,  shorter  than 
I.  Yes,  I  know  he  was  shorter  than  I,  because  I 
tried  to  wear  his  coat  one  night.  And  his  head  is 
smaller  than  mine,  because  I  couldn't  get  his  cap  on. 

"He's  a  good  sport  all  right.    Our  transport  was 


The  Road  from  Bolinas  195 

chased  by  a  U-boat  for  over  an  hour  one  morning, 
and  while  most  of  us  sat  on  deck  trying  to  think  of 
last  words  to  say,  Brewster  took  a  bath.  He  said 
that  if  the  boat  went  down  he  might  as  well  go  to 
heaven  clean.  If  we  escaped  he  needed  a  tub  to 
begin  the  day  right.  So  he  got  his  tub,  and  an 
English  stewardess  served  tea.  They  were  wonder 
ful,  those  two.  I'll  never  forget  that  trim  English 
woman  with  a  life  belt  on,  handing  round  the  tray. 
I'd  like  to  see  her  again.  But  Brewster's  a  good 
fellow.  I'll  be  glad  to  see  him.  I'll  be  glad  to  see 
his  letter." 

Trix  seized  her  father's  hands  and  began  to  sing 
in  a  sort  of  chant,  "I'll  be  glad,  I'll  be  glad,  I'll  be 
glad,  I'll  be  glad" — much  to  the  amusement  of  the 
rest  of  the  passengers. 

We  left  Mary  in  front  of  the  high  school  for  her 
afternoon  session. 

"She  seems  rather  pleased  at  going  back  to 
school,"  observed  the  Doctor.  "I  wonder  how  many 
times  she  will  mention  the  trip  to  the  ships  and 
luncheon  on  board  a  real  cruiser  with  real  officers 
and  a  ball  game  afterward." 

"It  doesn't  do  any  harm.  Of  course  she'll  enjoy 
telling  it,"  I  said. 

"Surely.  And  when  she  comes  home  to-night,  it 
will  be  the  letter  she  will  want  first  of  all." 

So  it  proved.  Mary's  first  question  was  for  the 
letter,  and  had  we  read  and  might  she  read  it?  She 
tried  to  snatch  it  from  her  father's  hand,  when  he 
came  home  a  little  later,  and  became  wildly  indignant 
when  he  threatened  to  change  his  clothes  for  supper 


196  Mary  in  California 

before  reading  it  aloud.  But  finally  he  capitulated, 
and  sat  down  on  the  porch  and  took  out  his  letter 
from  Dr.  Brewster  from  the  envelope  with  great 
deliberation. 

UDEAR  Doc: 

"Your  letter  was  the  best  news  I've  had  for  a 
year  of  Sundays.  I  surely  will  be  glad  to  see  you 
and  the  Missus  and  the  kids.  Did  you  bring  along 
the  cat  and  the  dog?  I  am  not  sure  how  many  you 
said  were  in  your  party. 

"There's  going  to  be  a  ball  game  on  Saturday 
next,  sort  of  Thanksgiving  celebration  or  other. 
Can't  you  all  lunch  with  me  here  en  the  boat  and 
then  go  over  and  cheer  for  the  Navy?  Of  course 
if  you  insist  on  sitting  with  your  old  buddies  on  the 
khaki  side,  you're  welcome.  But  I  insist  that  the 
girls  at  least  sit  with  me.  Have  you  any  boys 
along? 

"Come  early,  as  we  shall  have  early  mess  that 
day,  and  the  youngsters  ought  to  see  this  old  ship 
that  has  three  U-boats  to  her  credit.  I'll  expect  five 
at  least.  I  really  mean  it.  I'll  surely  be  awfully 
disappointed  if  you  don't  show  up.  Come  to  Dock 
No.  oo  at  1 1 130  sharp,  and  one  of  our  boys  will  be 
looking  for  you.  Watch  for  the  name  Resolute. 
"Yours  disrespectfully, 

"ToM  BREWSTER.'' 

"That  certainly  sounds  as  if  he  wanted  us ! 
Daddy,  you'll  cheer  for  the  Navy,  won't  you  ?  Oh, 
I  just  love  blue  jackets,"  said  Mary  enthusiastically. 

"I  guess  we'll  all  cheer  for  the  Navy,"  laughed 
the  Doctor.  "Brewster  certainly  is  a  brick." 


CHAPTER  XV 

FROM  THE  SEQUOIAS  TO  THE  "RESOLUTE" 

DEAR  Mother,  and  Daddy,  and  Mary  and  Trix," 
wrote  Dave.    "I  am  sending  this  to  all  of  you. 
Because  I  haven't  time  to  write  to  each  one.     We 

fot  back  awfully  late  to  school,  not  till  Tuesday.  So 
can't  come  next  Saturday  to  see  the  boats.  Can't 
you  go  some  other  time?  I  do  want  to  go  on  board 
one  of  them. 

"I  had  a  bully  time  with  the  Nortons.  Only  Mrs* 
Norton  kept  asking  me  if  I  wanted  to  go  up  in  an 
aeroplane.  It  was  so  pretty  in  the  park.  The  trees 
were  so  big!  Some  of  them  are  over  250  feet  tall 
and  some  of  them  are  over  3000  years  old.  They 
were  living  before  the  flood  I  guess.  One  of  them 
tumbled  over  a  few  years  ago  and  we  drove  on  it  in 
our  auto.  Some  people  built  a  camp  on  it  last  sum 
mer.  I  felt  as  if  I  was  in  a  big  church  in  the  grove. 
There  were  lots  of  birds  and  we  saw  some  elk  and 
other  deer.  We  saw  some  bear  tracks.  It  was 
awfully  cold  and  there  was  hardly  any  one  there. 
We  spent  one  night  camping  and  one  of  the  rangers 
came  and  sat  by  our  camp  fire  and  told  us  lots  of 
stories.  There  were  some  forest  fires  last  summer 
and  the  campers  helped  put  it  out.  He  was  awfully 
nice. 

"I  want  to  go  camping  there  in  summer  and  climb 
up  Moro  again.  That's  a  big  rocky  mountain  with 
a  stairway  360  feet  long  going  up  it.  It  was  awfully 
cold  and  slippery  and  icy,  but  such  fun  going  up. 

197 


198  Mary  in  California 

Mrs.  Norton  asked  me  if  I  didn't  wish  I  had  an 
aeroplane.  Of  course  I  did.  I  tell  you  we  were  tired 
when  we  got  down.  But  you  ought  to  have  seen 
the  view.  Snow  covered  mountains  all  over.  The 
Sierras  they  call  them.  Mount  Whitney  is  the  high 
est  mountain  in  the  United  States  except  Alaska. 
It  doesn't  stand  all  alone  like  Blanca  did  in  Colorado. 
There  are  lots  of  mountains  and  Whitney  is  the 
highest  peak.  I  wanted  to  go  to  the  top,  but  it  was 
too  late  in  the  season. 

"You  all  must  go  there  sometime.  Mother  would 
just  have  fits.  But  those  trees !  Just  think  of  driv 
ing  a  big  auto  along  one  just  like  a  road.  You  ought 
to  have  seen  it.  Please  send  me  a  dollar.  There's 
a  boy  here  who  has  an  old  pistol  he  wants  to  sell 
for  a  dollar  and  I  want  it.  Please  send  it  quick. 

"Your  loving  DAVE. 

"P.S. — The  Nortons  send  love.  They  want  you 
to  come  down  to  the  flower  festival  in  the  Christmas 
holidays.  They  say  it's  too  cold  to  go  to  that  other 
park  unless  you  want  to  go  for  the  winter  sports." 

We  read  this  letter  aloud  on  the  Friday  night  be 
fore  our  visit  to  the  fleet. 

"Poor  Dave,-1  said  Trix,  "I  wish  he  could  go  with 
us  to-morrow." 

"But  what  a  great  trip  he  must  have  had,"  said 
the  Doctor.  "Think  of  getting  all  those  pages  of 
writing  out  of  Dave.  I  don't  believe  he  ever  wrote 
so  much  in  his  life.  Here's  another  P.S. — 'I  am 
using  most  of  this  for  English  theme.'  ' 

"I  thought  there  was  some  reason  for  the  length 
of  it,"  I  remarked.  "How  do  you  like  the  Nortons' 
suggestions  of  the  Rose  Festival  in  Pasadena  for 
our  last  adventure  here  before  going  north?" 


From  the  Sequoias  to  the  "Resolute"     199 

For  we  were  to  leave  Mills  after  the  first  semester 
and  were  to  motor  up  to  Washington. 

"Oh,  Daddy,  Winifred  wants  us  to  join  a  winter 
party  to  the  Yosemite,"  said  Mary.  "There's  going 
to  be  skiing  and  all  sorts  of  fun.  That  would  be  lots 
nicer.  It  would  be  wonderful. " 

"Well,  we  won't  decide  it  now.  Perhaps  we  can 
split  the  party.  I  am  sorry  Dave  cannot  go  with  us 
to  the  ships.  Perhaps  he  may  have  another  chance 
to  see  them  later.  We  can't  have  everything  in  this 
world,"  and  with  this  bit  of  philosophy  the  Doctor 
got  up  and  led  the  way  to  supper. 

That  evening  the  'phone  rang  and  Mary  answered 
it,  saying  as  she  went,  "I  bet  the  ball  game  is  put 
off  and  Dr.  Brewster  will  tell  us  to  come  some  other 
time." 

The  next  moment  she  called,  "Daddy,  Daddy, 
some  one  wants  to  speak  to  you  at  a  hospital.  I 
can't  make  out  just  where." 

The  Doctor  went  to  the  'phone  and  we  could  hear 
his  side  of  the  conversation. 

"Hello,—" 

"Yes,—" 

"Yes,—" 

"You  mean  on  the  'phone? — " 

"Do  you  mean  that  they  want  me  to  go  over  and 
see  them  to-night? — " 

"Do  you  know  what  they  want? — " 

"About  a  ring?    I've  heard  enough  of  rings! — " 

"Dying  rascals! — " 

"Well,  I'll  try  to  stop  in  late  to-morrow  after 
noon  or  Sunday.  How  do  I  get  to  your  place? — " 


2OO  Mary  in  California 

"Were  they  moved  there?  I  was  afraid  I  would 
have  to  go  to  Sausalito.  Then  I  think  I  can  make 
it  late  to-morrow. — " 

"It  may  be  interesting,  but  I  hope  they  have  no 
knives  concealed  about  their  persons.  One  of  them 
at  least  is  right  handy  with  a  knife. — " 

"Good-by.— " 

"Oh,  Daddy,  what  is  it  all  about?"  asked  Mary. 
"It  sounded  very  exciting." 

"Our  friends  El  Lobo  and  Wing  Wang  want  to 
see  me.  Sort  of  dying  confession  or  other.  I  don't 
want  to  go,  but  I  don't  like  to  refuse  to  go  and  see  a 
dying  patient,  even  if  he  is  a  rascal." 

"You  said  something  about  my  ring.'* 

"I  didn't.  The  other  fellows  did.  If  I  ever  get 
hold  of  it  again,  I  shall  drop  it  in  San  Francisco 
Bay.  I'll  stop  off  to-morrow  on  the  way  back  from 
the  ball  game." 

"Oh,  Mother,  isn't  it  wonderful  to  think  that 
the  game  is  to-morrow?  And  the  stars  are  all  out. 
I  just  looked  a  minute  ago.  It  will  be  nice  weather. 
And,  oh,  Mother,  may  I  wear  my  white  sailor 
dress?" 

"That  would  seem  to  be  suitable,"  I  replied 
gravely. 

"Do  you  want  me  to  wear  a  sailor  suit  too?" 
asked  her  father. 

"Wouldn't  Dad  look  funny  in  a  sailor  suit!" 
laughed  Trix,  in  great  amusement. 

"Don't  you  think  it  would  be  becoming,  Trix?" 

"Oh,  Daddy,  you're  such  a  funny  man." 

"If  I'm  a  funny  man,  you  had  better  look  out. 


From  the  Sequoias  to  the  "Resolute"    201 

For  funny  men  always  carry  little  girls  upstairs  and 
throw  them  out  of  the  window." 

At  this  Trix  gave  a  shriek  of  gleeful  terror,  and 
rushed  out  of  the  room,  pursued  by  her  father. 

"That's  a  good  way  to  get  her  upstairs  to  bed," 
observed  Mary.  "When  do  we  start  to-morrow?" 

"We  are  to  be  at  the  dock  at  eleven-thirty,  so  I 
think  we  ought  to  leave  the  college  here  by  ten 
o'clock.  It's  quite  a  bit  of  a  walk  to  the  fast  trolley." 

"It  is  going  to  be  such  fun.  I  expect  the  girls  are 
all  sick  of  the  thought  of  it,  I  have  talked  so  much 
about  it  the  past  week.  I  do  wish  Dave  were  com 
ing.  He'd  love  it." 

The  great  Saturday  dawned  at  last,  "brite  and 
fair,"  as  a  Real  Boy  was  wont  to  say  in  his  Real 
Diary. 

While  I  was  doing  the  week-end  ordering,  I  could 
hear  the  wails  and  stamping  of  feet  and  protests 
that  always  accompany  any  special  toilet  efforts  be 
tween  Maria  and  Trix. 

"Now,  Trixy,  vill  you  keep  still?  Maria  vill  not 
hurt  you. — Maria  must  get  the  dirt  from  behint 
your  ears,  my  darling. — Your  hair  vill  not  look 
pretty  if  Maria  does  not  get  out  the  snarls,  my 
dearest." 

Presently  Mary  appeared  in  her  white  sailor  dress 
and  soon  after  Trix  came  softly  down  the  stairs, 
with  a  certain  shyness  that  meant  cleanliness  ac 
complished  and  sorrows  over. 

"Where's  Daddy?  Isn't  he  here  yet?"  asked 
Mary. 

"No,  we  are  to  pick  him  up  at  the  college.     Bless 


2O2  Mary  in  California 

your  heart,  it's  only  half  past  nine.    We  don't  start 
till  ten." 

"But,  Mother,  you  aren't  going  to  wear  that  house 
dress?" 

"I  had  not  planned  to,"  I  replied.  "Don't  worry, 
I'll  be  ready." 

"Don't  you  take  any  lunch  mit  you?"  asked  Maria, 
poking  her  head  in  at  the  door. 

"Now,  Maria,  why  should  we  when  we  are  going 
to  dine  with  real  officers  on  a  real  boat!"  answered 
Mary  indignantly. 

"Is  dat  so?"  was  Maria's  response. 

At  last  we  were  ready  and  off,  and  even  the  Doc 
tor  had  been  coaxed  from  his  desk  and  we  walked 
through  the  beautiful  pines  and  eucalyptus  trees  of 
the  college  grounds.  Here  and  there  were  great 
palms,  or  an  old  gnarled  live  oak,  with  its  branches 
spreading  about  quaintly. 

"It  seems  so  strange  to  see  all  the  palms  growing. 
It  is  almost  like  the  tropics,"  I  said. 

We  were  passing  a  beautiful  formal  garden  with 
fine  trees  and  plants. 

"Can't  we  get  some  ice  cream?"  begged  Trix  as 
we  approached  the  little  store  on  a  corner  near  the 
trolley  crossing  where  Mills'  students  love  to  come 
for  off-campus  sweets. 

"Indeed  not,"  I  replied.  "It  is  too  early  in  the 
morning." 

"Beside  we  may  be  late,"  said  Mary. 

"Maria  would  have  let  me,"  remarked  Trix  sadly. 

Finally  we  reached  the  trolley  and  then  the  ferry, 
which  seemed  to  Mary  and  Trix  to  take  an  endless 


From  the  Sequoias  to  the  "Resolute"     203 

time  crossing  the  bay.  But  there  was  some  comfort 
in  gazing  at  the  distant  fleet  which  we  were  about  to 
visit,  and  being  sure  that  it  was  still  there,  in  the  blue 
water,  to  be  visited. 

On  Dock  OO  we  found  a  spruce  young  naval  offi 
cer  who  saluted  and  made  friends  at  once. 

"My  name  is  Raymond,  sir.  Dr.  Brewster  sent 
me  for  your  party,  sir." 

Alongside  the  dock  was  a  ship's  boat  with  four 
sailors,  their  oars  standing  straight  up  in  the  air  in 
honor  of  our  appearance.  Swiftly  we  were  trans 
ported  to  the  destroyer  Resolute,  where  willing 
hands  assisted  us  to  the  deck. 

There  Dr.  Brewster,  a  fine-looking,  dark-haired 
man  of  about  forty,  bade  us  welcome,  and  shook 
hands  with  each  in  turn. 

"Where's  the  boy,  where's  Dave?"  he  asked. 

"Dave  couldn't  come,"  answered  the  Doctor. 
"He  had  a  long  week-end  holiday  last  week,  and  this 
Saturday  had  to  stay  at  the  school." 

"That's  too  bad.  Now,  who  wants  to  go  down, 
way  down,  below  in  the  ship  and  who  wants  to  wan 
der  over  the  decks  ?  It  will  probably  be  pretty  oily 
and  messy  down  where  the  engines  are." 

"I  want  to  go  down,"  said  Trix  promptly. 

"May  we,  Mother?"  asked  Mary. 

"Of  course  you  may,"  Dr.  Brewster  replied. 
"But  suppose  we  old  folks  stay  on  deck.  Mr.  Ray 
mond  will  take  you  down  and  answer)  all  your 
questions.  He  knows  a  lot  more  about  that  part 
than  I  do." 

So  aft**  we  had  gone  over  the  deck  and  had 


2O4  Mary  in  California 

climbed  the  conning  tower  and  had  the  great  guns 
revolved  about  for  our  benefit,  the  ensign  took 
Mary  and  Trix  below  while  Dr.  Brewster  showed 
us  his  own  pleasant  cabin. 

"It's  great  to  see  you  again,  Doc,"  he  said,  as  we 
sat  at  peace,  while  the  men  smoked.  "What  brings 
you  here  to  the  coast?  I  didn't  know  anything  would 
tempt  you  from  New  England.  Thought  I  remem 
bered  your  saying  something  like  that  the  last  time 
I  saw  you." 

The  Doctor  laughed.  "Why,  we  came  here  for 
business,  sightseeing,  and  peace,  and  we've  run  into 
a  regular  moving  picture  series  of  adventures." 

"Gracious,  what's  happened?" 

The  Doctor  proceeded  to  tell  about  Mary's  find 
ing  the  ring  in  New  Mexico  and  losing  it;  how  she 
recovered  it  from  the  apparently  dying  half-breed; 
how  it  was  stolen  by  the  Chinese,  Wing  Wang;  our 
adventures  with  the  smugglers  on  the  Channel 
Islands;  and  finally  of  our  trip  to  Bolinas  and  the 
telephone  message  of  the  night  before. 

"No  wonder  the  movie  people  all  come  to  Cali 
fornia,"  so  ended  the  Doctor,  "it  seems  to  be  in  the 


air." 


"Maybe  you  brought  it  with  you,  Doc,"  said 
Brewster.  "I  remember  you  were  always  running 
into  things  abroad.  Did  you  ever  tell  your  wife  how 
we  went  out  in  the  lorry  and  suddenly  found  our 
selves  on  a  road  marked  Strassburg  and  heading 
straight  for  it?  But  really,  now,  you  spin  a  good 
yarn.  I  am  glad  for  your  sakes  those  two  fellows 
are  about  to  leave  California  for  good.  Those 


From  the  Sequoias  to   the  "Resolute"    205 

Chinese  secret  societies  are  nasty  things  to  run  up 
against.  I  wonder  what  they  want  of  you.  Be  sure 
you  keep  at  a  distance,  for  they  are  handy  with  a 
knife  at  all  times.  IVe  seen  quite  a  lot  of  those 
fellows  here  and  in  China.  The  high  caste  are  won 
derful.  They  can  put  it  all  over  a  European  for 
manners  and  persistence.  I've  sworn  a  dozen  times 
I  wouldn't  give  some  old  Chinaman  what  he  wanted, 
no  matter  how  polite  he  was,  and  suddenly  I'd  find 
I'd  done  it  and  was  thanking  him  for  the  chance ! 

uThey  usually  have  a  suave  mandarin  in  the  con 
sular  offices  to  do  Chinese  work  for  us.  If  the  Con 
sul  isn't  a  strong  character  the  Chinaman  will  own 
the  place  before  a  month  is  out.  It  seems  as  though 
they  hypnotized  us.  And  persistent!  I've  known 
a  fellow  who  didn't  look  as  if  he  had  strength  enough 
to  smoke  his  opium  pipe  come  in  day  after  day  to 
ask  a  favor  that  had  been  refused  each  time.  And 
by  Jove !  in  the  end  he  always  wins  out." 

"Do  you  know  anything  about  the  secret  society 
we  have  apparently  run  into?"  I  asked. 

"I've  heard  of  it,  I  think.  But  Captain  Donald 
knows  more  about  it.  He's  quite  an  authority  on 
Chinese  intrigues.  We'll  ask  him  at  mess.  But  do 
you  know,  I've  a  great  admiration  for  these  orien 
tals.  I  know  I'll  never  understand  'em,  but  the  low 
castes  make  wonderful  servants  and  the  high  castes 
make  wonderful  acquaintances. 

"Look  here,  Doc,  do  you  remember  that  colored 
M.  P.  trying  to  run  traffic  regulations  in  a  French 
town?  I  don't  know  what  made  me  think  of  him 
just  then.  He  was  as  big  as  the  giant  in  Barnum's 


206  Mary  in  California 

circus  and  he  was  having  a  lovely  time  trying  to 
make  the  French  peasant  obey  the  traffic  rules.  It 
was  a  great  sight." 

"Yes,  and  do  you  remember  the  colored  sergeant 
who  said,  'I  ain't  goin'  back  ovah  no  ocean,  boss, 
I'se  goin'  home  by  New  Orleans !'  ' 

So  the  two  men  talked  over  their  experiences  of 
the  great  war,  and  I  listened  with  a  thankful  heart 
to  think  that  it  was  over. 

We  were  interrupted  by  Trix's  shrill  little  voice 
calling,  "Mother,  Daddy,"  and  Ensign  Raymond 
appeared  with  Mary  and  Trix. 

"It  was  great,  Daddy,  you  ought  to  have  come," 
said  Mary.  "We  went  way  down  the  funniest  little 
ladder  and  we  heard  all  about  everything.  Mr.  Ray 
mond  told  us  how  they  sunk  the  three  U-boats." 

"And  we  saw  the  sailors'  hammocks  and  a  goat," 
chimed  in  Trix.  "It's  their  maxgoat." 

"What?"  demanded  Dr.  Brewster. 

Trix  immediately  became  shy  and  hid  behind  me. 

"It  was  a  maxgoat,"  she  murmured. 

"I  think  she  means  mascot,"  I  interpreted. 

"Yes,  that's  what  I  mean.  Anyway,  he  was  a  nice 
goat.  And  there's  rabbits,  too,  and  a  cat." 

"They've  been  all  over  with  us,"  said  Dr.  Brew 
ster.  "The  cat  came  from  England  and  the  goat 
and  the  rabbits  from  France.  Well,  let's  go  down 
to  mess,  for  I  hear  eight  bells  and  we  want  to  be 
prompt." 

It  was  pleasant  sitting  at  the  captain's  table,  al 
though  the  dining  cabin  was  very  small  compared  to 
the  saloon  of  a  great  ocean  liner. 


From  the  Sequoias  to  the  "Resolute"    207 

Dr.  Brewster  immediately  made  the  Doctor  tell 
his  story  over  again.  When  he  came  to  the  part 
about  the  smugglers  in  the  Channel  Islands,  Captain 
Donald,  a  red-haired  Scotchman,  interrupted. 

"I  heard  about  those  fellows.  They  were  caught, 
too,  and  that  New  England  captain  got  off  because 
nothing  could  actually  be  proved  against  him.  The 
revenue  men  had  an  exciting  chase  before  they  caught 
the  big  boat.  They  found  some  of  the  injured  man's 
property  on  board.  But  that  would  not  have  been 
enough  evidence,  had  not  the  revenue  officer  recov 
ered,  thanks  to  you,  Doctor,  doubtless,  and  given  his 
testimony  with  great  enthusiasm.  There  was  a  lot 
of  liquor  on  board,  too,  and  there  was  a  fine  bit  of  a 
scrap  before  the  capture  was  made.  Those  smug 
glers  are  tough  customers." 

"But  look  here,  Captain,"  said  Dr.  Brewster,  "we 
want  you  to  tell  us  about  the  secret  ring  and  the 


secret  societies." 


"And  I  want  the  Doctor  to  finish  his  story.  My 
interruption  was  only  in  the  way  of  a  parenthesis," 
answered  Captain  Donald. 

When  the  Doctor  had  told  of  all  our  adventures, 
he  asked  the  captain  if  he  knew  anything  more  about 
the  secret  society  and  the  ring. 

"It  is  a  very  interesting  society,"  said  the  captain. 
"It  was  started  many  centuries  ago  to  preserve  the 
liberties  of  China  both  against  foreign  enemies  and 
tyrants  at  home.  It  took  in  peasant  and  mandarin. 
There  were  always  to  be  two  leaders,  one  low  caste 
and  the  other  high.  They  each  wore  a  ring  to  signify 
their  leadership.  They  look  to  a  republic  or  a  com- 


208  Mary  in  California 

plete  democracy,  where  all  shall  be  equal.  They 
symbolized  their  purpose  in  rather  a  beautiful  old 
story.  It  was  told  to  me  in  Pekin  once,  just  after 
the  Boxer  rebellion,  by  a  fine  old  mandarin  clad  in 
the  most  beautiful  silk  coat  I  have  ever  seen. 

"The  legend  runs  that  a  peasant  boy,  who  was 
tender  hearted  for  the  weak  ones  of  the  earth,  once 
rescued  a  bluebird.  The  bird  in  gratitude  brought 
him  a  strange  ring  with  a  jade  dragon  on  it.  The 
boy  did  not  know  what  the  meaning  of  it  was,  but 
kept  it  carefully.  When  he  was  grown  he  heard  one 
day  that  the  beautiful  daughter  of  the  Emperor 
could  not  move  her  hands,  but  always  kept  them 
clasped  together,  thus  signifying,  the  mandarin  told 
me,  how  the  rich  and  powerful  keep  their  wealth  for 
themselves.  The  Emperor  announced  that  he  would 
give  half  his  kingdom  and  the  hand  of  the  Princess 
beside  to  any  one  who  could  cure  the  Princess.  The 
peasant  had  seen  her  afar  off  one  day,  and  had 
thought  her  so  bonnie  that  he  wished  he  could  help 
her. 

uSo  he  went  to  the  palace,  taking  with  him  the  ring 
that  the  bird  had  long  ago  given  him,  hoping  it 
might  be  of  use.  Sure  enough,  when  he  slipped  his 
ring  on  her  finger,  she  opened  her  hands  with  a  glad 
laugh,  and  there  was  another  ring,  just  like  the  one 
the  bird  had  brought. 

"Thus  peasant  and  princess  were  united  and  the 
two  rings  typified  the  union.  But  long  ago  one 
ring  disappeared;  legends  have  it  that  it  was  carried 
to  a  far  country.  When  the  two  rings  shall  come 
together,  then  a  new  free  day  will  dawn  for  China. 


From  the  Sequoias  to  the  "Resolute"    209 

Such  was  the  story  told  me  in  far  more  beautiful 
words  than  I  can  give  it  with  my  broad  Scotch 
tongue." 

"Is  it  possible,"  asked  Dr.  Brewster,  "that  Mary 
here  may  have  found  the  other  ring?  I  can  hardly 
believe  it." 

"Evidently  the  Chinese  believe  it!  I  think  you 
have  seen  the  last  of  your  ring,  my  dear,"  he  added, 
turning  to  Mary.  "But  I  will  certainly  be  glad  to 
hear  what  your  two  men  have  to  say  to  you  to-night. 
Will  you  let  me  know?" 

"I  will  indeed.  That  is  a  most  interesting  yarn. 
I  certainly  hope  that  poor  old  China  may  be  indeed 
entering  on  a  time  of  happiness,"  said  the  Doctor. 

"And  now  we  ought  to  be  off,  if  we  want  to  see 
the  ball  game,"  said  Dr.  Brewster.  "You  young 
folks  ought  to  have  something  to  represent  the  Navy. 
I'll  get  Raymond  to  bring  you  some  hatbands  with 
Resolute  on  them,  and  maybe  a  button  or  two.  For 
we're  all  loyal  tars  to-day!" 


CHAPTER  XVI 

NAVY  VERSUS  ARMY — THE  LAST  OF  THE  RING 

A  LL  San  Francisco  and  also  the  suburban  towns 
seemed  to  be  on  the  way  to  the  baseball  field. 
Dr.  Brewster  had  an  automobile  waiting  so  that  it 
was  not  necessary  to  get  into  a  crowded  trolley  car. 

"It  seems  funny  to  be  going  to  a  baseball  game  in 
November,"  said  Mary.  "They  would  be  playing 
football  at  home." 

"It  is  warm  enough  here  for  baseball,1'  answered 
Dr.  Brewster,  "and  the  Navy  boys  prefer  the  na 
tional  game.  They  are  pretty  good  at  it,  too." 

"I  am  glad  it  isn't  football,"  I  observed.  "I  feel 
as  though  I  knew  at  least  the  A,  B,  C's  of  baseball, 
but  football  is  quite  beyond  me." 

"The  Navy  has  a  good  team,  I  think,  but  the 
Army  boys  are  always  stiff  opponents.  They  had 
lots  of  practice  throwing  in  the  World  War,  eh, 
Doc?" 

"They  did  indeed.  We  used  to  learn  that  the 
battle  of  Waterloo  was  won  on  the  cricket  fields  of 
Eton !  I  am  sure  that  bat,  ball,  and  diamond  gave 
us  our  victories  in  Flanders  and  Lorraine." 

"I  can  throw  a  ball,"  said  Trixie. 

"Of  course  you  can,"  was  Dr.  Brewster's  reply. 
"I'd  be  ashamed  of  any  American  boy  or  girl  who 
couldn't." 

2IO 


Navy  Versus  Army — The  Last  of  the  Ring    211 

Presently  our  automobile  fell  into  a  great  pro 
cession  of  vehicles,  and  we  slowly  proceeded  to  the 
ball  field. 

A  part  of  the  grand  stand  was  reserved  for  the 
Navy  sympathizers,  and  here  we  found  our  seats 
directly  behind  the  wire  screen  with  home  plate  right 
in  front  of  us.  The  grand  stand  was  full  of  officers 
in  uniform,  with  their  friends  and  relatives,  the  blues 
on  the  left,  the  khaki  on  the  right,  while  in  the 
bleachers  were  crowded  all  sorts  of  baseball  fans — 
'bluejackets,  doughboys,  and  citizens  of  California. 

It  was  a  perfect  day,  the  kind  known  as  Indian 
summer  in  New  England.  Dr.  Brewster  pointed  out 
to  us  various  celebrities,  the  commander  of  the 
Presidio  fort,  the  visiting  generals.  He  seemed  to 
know  them  all  by  name  and  reputation. 

"That  young  fellow  over  there  was  on  a  mine 
sweeper,  Mary.  That's  a  mighty  dangerous  occu 
pation.  Twice  his  boat  was  the  only  survivor  of  a 
little  fleet.  The  rest  were  blown  to  kingdom  come 
without  warning. 

"That  youngster  over  there  was  one  of  the  fellows 
who  went  into  Zeebrugge  with  an  English  boat 
when  they  sunk  one  of  their  own  ships  in  the  mouth 
of  the  harbor  and  bottled  up  the  German  Fleet." 

"They  look  so  young,"  I  said.  "I  have  often 
heard  it  called  a  young  man's  war." 

"Humph,  Foch  wasn't  so  young,  or  Hindenburg 
or  Pershing.  But  look,  here  comes  the  team.  There 
goes  the  Admiral  to  throw  the  first  ball.  Here's 
your  score  card,  Mary,  with  the  names  of  the  players 
written  in.  Ensign  Raymond  did  that  for  you." 


212  Mary  in  California 

A  great  shout  greeted  the  teams  as  they  ran  out 
and  took  their  places  on  the  field.  A  few  balls  were 
thrown  about  for  practice,  and  then  came  the  cry  of 
the  umpire,  uPlay  ball,"  and  the  game  began  in 
earnest,  with  the  Army  at  bat. 

"That  fellow  throws  a  pretty  ball,"  remarked  the 
Doctor  as  two  khaki  boys  struck  out. 

The  third  man  made  a  two-base  hit,  but  was  left 
there  when  the  fourth  doughboy  hit  an  easy  one  right 
into  the  hands  of  the  first  baseman.  In  the  second 
half  of  the  inning  the  Navy  catcher  made  a  three- 
base  hit  and  then  came  home  when  his  successor  sent 
a  swift  grounder  between  first  and  second  base. 
Then  came  three  or  four  dull  innings,  a  pitcher's 
game,  the  Doctor  called  it.  No  runs  were  made 
on  either  side,  and  at  the  end  of  the  seventh  in 
ning  the  score  stood  one  to  nothing  in  favor  of  the 
Navy. 

"This  is  pretty  stupid,"  remarked  Dr.  Brewster. 
"Let's  have  some  ginger  ale  and  ice-cream  cones. 
Maybe  that  will  change  the  current." 

"It  seems  to  me  that  you  must  have  spent  all  your 
money  already  on  peanuts,  Brewster,"  said  the  Doc 
tor  severely. 

Ensign  Raymond  joined  us  at  this  time,  declaring 
that  every  one  was  asleep  on  the  bleachers. 

"Can't  we  wake  'em  up  some  here,  Sir?"  he 
wanted  to  know. 

The  first  Army  man  to  come  to  bat  in  the  eighth 
inning  hit  a  remarkably  swift  ball  right  toward  the 
pitcher,  who  tried  to  catch  it.  He  did  stop  it,  but 
dropped  it  immediately  and  sat  down  on  the  ground. 


Navy  Versus  Army — The  Last  of  the  Ring    213 

He  was  up  in  a  moment  and  tried  to  throw  the  ball 
to  second,  but  it  went  wild.  The  shortstop  got 
it,  however,  and  the  runner  remained  on  first.  Then 
time  was  called.  The  pitcher  had  hurt  his  hand.  A 
man  with  a  black  bag  rushed  out,  made  a  brief  exam 
ination,  and  then  ordered  the  player  off  the  field,  as 
he  had  a  sprained  wrist. 

"That's  pretty  bad  for  us,  Sir,"  Raymond  said. 
uWe  have  no  other  pitcher.  They  will  have  to  put 
in  Atkins,  and  he's  not  good  at  all." 

The  ensign's  prophecy  proved  true.  Atkins  al 
lowed  three  runs  to  fall  to  the  Army  before  the  end 
of  the  inning. 

The  Navy  crowd  then  woke  up  and  began  a  won 
derful  series  of  calls  and  shrieks  and  whistles,  sup 
posed  to  strike  terror  into  their  opponents  and  to 
hearten  their  own  side. 

The  net  result  was  one  run.  At  the  beginning 
of  the  ninth  inning  the  score  was  three  to  two  in 
favor  of  the  Army. 

"Oh,  this  is  awful,"  said  Raymond.  "With  At 
kins  pitching  they'll  run  up  a  tremendous  score. 
They  may  make  it  a  hundred." 

"Not  quite  as  many  as  that,"  laughed  Dr.  Brew- 
ster.  "But  it  surely  looks  bad." 

The  gloomy  fears  of  Ensign  Raymond  seemed 
about  to  be  fulfilled.  The  first  batter  got  to  third 
on  a  long  swift  one  which  was  luckily  stopped  by 
the  right  fielder  in  time  to  prevent  a  home  run.  The 
second  man  bunted  an  easy  one  that  took  him  to  first, 
but  quick  work  by  the  catcher  prevented  the  dough 
boy  on  third  from  getting  home.  The  third  man 


214  Mary  in  California 

took  his  base  on  balls,  and  number  two  moved  on 
to  second. 

"Jumping  Jehosophat!  All  the  bases  full  and 
that  fool  in  the  pitcher's  box,"  ejaculated  Dr.  Brew- 
ster.  "Nothing  but  a  miracle  can  save  us." 

A  great,  tall  negro  came  to  the  bat,  with  a  grin  on 
his  face  that  seemed  to  breathe  out  self-confidence. 
He  evidently  scorned  the  pitcher  utterly. 

"One  strike,"  called  the  umpire. 

People  sat  up. 

"One  ball." 

The  Navy  groaned. 

"Two  balls." 

The  Navy  shrieked. 

"Three  balls." 

"Nothing  can  save  us  now,"  said  Raymond. 

The  colored  soldier  waved  his  bat  derisively,  and 
held  it  back  over  his  shoulder.  The  men  on  bases 
took  long  leads  and  prepared  to  move  on  as  the 
ball  left  the  pitcher's  nervous  hands.  It  came  wildly 
careering  through  the  air. 

"It  will  be  four  balls  and  take  your  base  and 
another  run,"  groaned  Ensign  Raymond. 

Evidently  the  runners  thought  so,  too,  and  the 
batter  also.  He  started  to  toss  his  bat  preparatory 
to  leaving  for  first  and  lo  !  the  miracle  that  Dr.  Brew- 
ster  had  wished  for  happened.  Somehow  the  ball 
and  bat  collided  in  mid-air  and  the  ball  rolled  back 
into  the  diamond.  Before  the  astonished  colored 
soldier  could  recover  from  his  surprise,  the  catcher 
darted  forward  and  touched  him. 

Every  one  in  the  crowded  grand  stand  and  bleach- 


Navy  Versus  Army — The  Last  of  the  Ring    215 

ers  rose  to  their  feet.  Words  of  advice  were 
shrieked  on  all  sides : 

"Throw  it  to  third." 

"Put  him  out." 

"Out  on  second." 

"Hold  it." 

"Hold  it." 

"Don't  run." 

The  catcher  was  a  quick-witted  fellow.  In  an 
instant  he  had  thrown  to  second  base,  to  which  the 
runner  tried  in  vain  to  return. 

"Double  play" — howled  the  Navy. 

Meanwhile  the  man  who  had  left  third  came  on 
toward  home. 

"Beat  it,  beat  it!"  yelled  the  Army. 

"Home,  home!"  cried  everybody. 

Without  an  instant's  hesitation  the  second  base 
man  threw  home,  a  straight  swift  ball,  and  just  as 
the  runner  slid  in,  the  catcher  touched  him  with  the 
ball  while  his  outstretched  fingers  were  three  inches 
from  the  plate. 

"By  Jove,  a  triple  play  and  side  out,"  exclaimed 
the  Doctor.  "I  never  saw  a  prettier  bit  of  base 
ball." 

The  hats  of  the  Navy  rose  in  the  air  and  the  air 
was  rent  with  cheers. 

"What's  the  matter  with  the  catcher?  He's  all 
right." 

"What's  the  matter  with  the  Navy?  It's  all 
right." 

"What's  the  matter  with  the  Army?" 

"B-o-o-o-o." 


216  Mary  in  California 

"Cricky,  they're  still  a  run  ahead!"  exclaimed 
Mary. 

"Oh,  but  we'll  beat  'em  now,"  said  Dr.  Brewster. 
"Here,  Raymond,  go  down  and  tell  the  boys  they 
have  got  to  win." 

The  catcher,  Sanford,  was  the  first  to  bat.  He 
was  thrilled  with  his  own  great  play  of  the  previ 
ous  half  inning  and  the  cheering  of  the  crowd.  His 
bat  met  the  ball  with  a  sharp  crack  and  he  ended  on 
third  base. 

The  Navy  band  struck  up  a  rollicking  tune. 

"They've  bunched  the  good  batters,"  remarked 
Dr.  Brewster.  "That  fellow  at  the  bat  is  good  for 
a  two-bagger  usually." 

Again  the  bat  went  crack!  against  the  ball,  and 
it  traveled,  a  swift  grounder,  straight  out  into 
the  field,  bringing  Sanford  home  and  putting  the  bat 
ter  at  second. 

"No  outs,  one  run,  and  a  man  on  second.  There's 
a  great  chance,"  the  Doctor  said.  "But  look  here, 
Brewster,  how  about  that  triple  play?  Was  that  a 
fair  ball?" 

"Sure.  They'll  quarrel  over  it  a  bit,  but  I  heard 
another  umpire  make  a  similar  decision  once  before. 
If  the  bat  hits  the  ball  into  the  diamond,  it's  good. 
There's  no  getting  around  that." 

Dead  silence  now  reigned  over  the  field.  The 
score  was  a  tie.  Could  the  Navy  make  another 
run? 

"Here  comes  that  awful  pitcher,"  said  Mary. 
"He's  so  clumsy  he'll  never  do  anything." 

But  apparently  clumsiness  has  its  uses,  for  the  bat- 


Navy  Versus  Army — The  Last  of  the  Ring     217 

ter  got  hit  by  a  pitched  ball  and  went  to  first,  while 
the  man  on  second  stole  to  third. 

The  next  batter  was  struck  out;  so  was  the  next. 

The  audience  leaned  forward  in  their  seats  and 
men  leaned  over  each  other's  shoulders  in  breathless 
excitement. 

"One  strike,"  called  the  umpire. 

No  one  stirred. 

"One  ball." 

The  Navy  let  out  a  deep  breath. 

The  man  on  first  stole  to  second,  but  no  one  paid 
much  attention  to  him. 

"He  can  run,  though,  even  if  he  can't  pitch,"  I 
thought  to  myself. 

Crack!  the  bat  swung  and  hit  the  swift-coming 
ball  straight  and  true.  It  sped  through  the  pitcher 
and  the  place  where  the  second  baseman  ought  to 
have  been  and  hit  the  ground  just  before  it  reached 
center  field.  It  bounded  up  over  the  outstretched 
hand  of  that  worthy  and  rolled  on,  pursued  by  both 
the  left  and  right  fielders. 

Amid  wild  cheers  from  the  Navy,  .the  man  on 
third  came  in  and  the  man  on  second  came  in  and 
then  nobody  cared  what  happened,  while  the  crowd 
rushed  into  the  field  and  seized  the  last  batter  and 
bore  him  in  triumph  on  their  shoulders. 

"Aren't  they  going  to  finish?"  Mary  asked. 

"No,  when  the  batters  are  ahead  they  never  fin 
ish  the  last  half  of  the  ninth,"  Dr.  Brewster  an 
swered.  "It  isn't  etiquette.  'Jove,  Doc,  that  was 
some  game.  I'm  glad  we  came,  after  all.  Just  see 
how  fast  the  crowd  melts  away." 


218  Mary  in  California 

"And  to  think  that  the  stupid  pitcher  actually 
made  one  of  the  winning  runs,"  said  Mary.  "I'm 
sort  of  glad  he  did.  He  might  have  felt  too 
bad." 

We  went  back  to  the  ferry  landing  with  Dr. 
Brewster  in  a  taxi. 

"By  the  way,  will  you  drop  me  at  that  hospital  on 
the  way?"  said  the  Doctor.  "I  promised  to  stop  and 
see  those  two  fellows,  you  know." 

"That's  right.    'The  game  made  me  forget  it." 

So  we  dropped  the  Doctor  and  proceeded  on  our 
way.  The  taxi  landed  us  at  the  ferry  before  the 
crowd,  and  Dr.  Brewster  saw  us  aboard. 

"You  are  surely  all  right?"  he  asked.  "Got 
enough  money  to  get  home  and  all  that?" 

We  laughed  and  thanked  him. 

"I  forgot  to  say  good-by  to  Mr.  Raymond,"  said 
Mary.  "Will  you  do  it  for  me,  Dr.  Brewster?" 

"I  surely  will,  Mary.  You  must  all  come  to  see 
us  again,  and  bring  the  boy  next  time !" 

So  we  all  shook  hands  and  we  got  on  the  ferry. 

"To  think  that  we  were  really  on  that  grim-look 
ing,  gray  destroyer,"  I  said  as  we  got  our  last  look 
at  the  Resolute.  "Trix,  did  you  have  a  good  time, 
and  what  did  you  like  best?" 

Trix,  dirty  and  tired,  and  eating  an  ice-cream  cone 
which  Dr.  Brewster  had  given  her  on  parting,  re 
plied:  "I  liked 'the  rabbits  and  the  goat  and  Mr. 
Raymond." 

"Oh,  but  it  was  wonderful,  Mother,"  Mary  said, 
as  she  leaned  over  the  rail  of  the  boat  and  looked 
across  the  water  at  the  city,  so  enchanting  in  the 


Navy  Fersus  Army — The  Last  of  the  Ring     219 

dusk  of  a  late  November  afternoon.  "The  boat  and 
the  sailors  and  the  game.  Mr.  Raymond  certainly 
was  nice.  I'm  going  to  keep  the  score  card  he  made 
for  me.  I  love  the  hatband,  too,  and  don't  you 
think  I  could  have  the  button  made  into  a  hatpin? 
He  said  they  were  going  to  sail  pretty  soon  for  the 
winter  maneuvers.  But  maybe  they'll  come  to  the 
East  some  time.  He's  promised  to  send  me  some 
picture  postal  cards.  Do  you  mind,  Mother?" 

"Mercy,  no." 

"How  old  do  you  think  he  is,  Mother?" 

"How  old  does  he  think  you  are?"  I  answered. 

Mary  laughed.  "He  said  seventeen,  but  he  may 
have  been  joking.  There  was  a  Jackie  playing  on 
an  accordion  in  the  stern  and  we  had  a  dance.  He's 
twenty." 

"That  isn't  so  very  old,"  I  answered;  and  pres 
ently  we  reached  the  other  side. 

"I  wonder  how  your  father  is  getting  along,"  I 
said  as  we  sat  in  the  trolley,  homeward  bound. 

"That's  right,  I  forgot  about  Daddy.  I  wonder 
if  he  will  get  my  ring  back,"  Mary  said. 

It  was  a  couple  of  hours  later,  when  Trix  was  in 
bed  and  Mary  was  coaxing  to  be  allowed  to  stay  up, 
that  the  Doctor  arrived.  He  was  hungry  and  tired, 
but  as  he  sat  by  the  dining  table,  waited  on  by 
Maria  and  myself,  while  Mary  hovered  about,  he 
drew  from  his  pocket  a  fine  silk  scarf.  Wrapped  in 
it  were  two  rings  almost  exactly  alike,  silver,  with 
the  jade  dragon  and  the  sign  of  good  luck  on  the 
back. 

"Daddy,  how  did  you  get  them?"  Mary  cried. 


22O  Mary  in  California 

"It's  quite  a  story,"  answered  her  father.  "Let 
me  eat  first  and  then  I  will  tell  you." 

"Dot  iss  right.  Let  him  eat  first,"  observed 
Maria.  "The  poor  man  is  tired  und  hongry,"  and 
she  brought  him  a  plate  heaped  as  for  a  grenadier. 

"Maria,  you  ought  to  have  married,"  said  the 
Doctor.  "You  know  how  to  take  care  of  a  man." 

"Ach,  Doctor,  maybe  I  vill  yet,"  answered  Maria. 
"I  am  not  so  olt.  But  I  think  I'll  yust  take  care  of 
the  bonies.  They  cannot  talk  so  much  back  to  me 
and  he  might  not  like  me  to  sink.  My  bonies  they 
like  to  hear  me  sink." 

Supper  being  eaten,  the  Doctor  got  into  a  com 
fortable  chair,  lit  his  pipe,  and  began  his  story. 

"That  Wing  Wang  is  surely  a  remarkable  man. 
I  think  he  must  have  hypnotized  me  as  Dr.  Brewster 
said  they  all  did.  From  the  minute  I  went  into  his 
tiny  room  and  looked  into  his  pinched  yellow  face,  I 
felt  somehow  as  though  I  were  helpless,  in  the  clutch 
of  a  stronger  will  than  mine.  He  spoke  excellent 
English,  but  very  slowly,  as  though  carefully  choos 
ing  his  words.  He  told  me  something  of  the  story 
that  Captain  Donald  did, — how  the  two  rings  sig 
nified  the  meeting  of  high  and  low  in  China,  and  free 
dom  for  the  people. 

"  'I  cannot  live,'  he  said.  'You  who  are  a  physi 
cian  must  know  this.  And  if  I  should  live,  your  laws 
would  condemn  me  to  death  or  imprisonment.  They 
will  not  let  me  see  my  friends.  But  I  ask  you  as  the 
last  request  of  a  man  who  is  about  to  die,  as  you 
call  it,  to  take  a  small  parcel  for  me  and  put  it  into 
the  hands  of  a  Chinaman  named  Wu  Fang  who 


Navy  Versus  Army — The  Last  of  the  Ring     221 

works  in  Los  Angeles,  for  your  friends  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Norton.' 

"I  asked  what  the  package  contained.  He  replied 
that  I  knew  already.  But  he  drew  from  some  place 
of  concealment  a  ball  of  silk  thread.  This  he  bade 
me  unwind.  In  the  center  were  the  two  rings.  I 
was  startled  to  see  them  both. 

"  'How  did  you  get  the  second  one — from  El 
Lobo?'  I  asked. 

"He  grinned.  'He  whom  you  call  El  Lobo  is 
dead.  The  ring  was  mine;  now  it  is  again  in  the 
hands  of  its  owner/ 

"That  was  all  he  would  tell  me  on  that  subject. 
He  continued,  however,  to  speak  of  El  Lobo.  'He 
was  of  the  lowest  caste,  a  half-breed.  He  wished  to 
be  a  leader.  But  I,  I  come  of  a  great  family.  I 
would  have  been  the  head  of  all  and  with  these  two 
rings  might  have  brought  prosperity  to  my  country. 
But  others  will  do  it.  Only  the  rings  must  not  fall 
into  the  hands  of  those  who  would  betray  their  coun 
try.  Promise  me  that  you  will  take  the  rings  to 
Wu  Fang.' 

"  'Look  here/  I  said,  'I  don't  want  to  have  any 
thing  to  do  with  the  rings  or  your  society.  I'll  get  a 
knife  in  my  back  for  my  pains.  And  one  of  those 
rings  was  found  by  my  daughter.  It  is  an  Indian 
ring.' 

"Then  he  told  me  how  long  ago  a  prince  had 
wandered  away  with  his  followers,  fleeing  from  in 
vading  foreigners,  and  had  carried  the  ring  across 
the  waters  to  a  new  country.  'The  Indians,  as  you 
call  them,  were  once  like  my  people,'  he  added. 


222        •  Mary  in  California 

'Your  daughter  cannot  keep  the  ring,  it  would  bring 
her  to  great  danger.  But  I  will  send  word  with  the 
rings  to  Wu  Fang  to  give  your  little  daughter  a  costly 
gift,  far  more  beautiful  than  the  ring.' 

"Well,  the  long  and  short  of  it  was  that  he  finally 
persuaded  me  against  my  better  judgment  to  under 
take  the  charge.  Only  I  stipulated  that  I  should 
give  them  to  some  trusty  messenger  in  Oakland,  and 
not  have  to  keep  them  about  my  person  till  some 
chance  came  to  go  to  Los  Angeles.  So  we  com 
promised  on  old  Chang  here,  the  head  chef  at  the 
college.  Of  course  I  swore  secrecy,  and  indeed  it 
wasn't  necessary.  No  word  of  this  must  get  around. 
I  suppose  I  may  have  been  followed  back  home  by 
any  number  of  spies.  I  have  sent  for  Chang. 
Heaven  help  him  when  he  gets  these  precious 
rings!" 

"Oh,  Daddy,  I  hate  to  give  up  my  ring!  But  I 
wonder  what  they  will  give  me,  in  return.  It's  aw 
fully  exciting." 

At  that  moment  the  door  of  the  room,  which  was 
also  the  door  of  the  house,  opened  noiselessly,  and 
the  face  of  a  Chinaman  looked  in.  We  all  jumped 
as  if  we  had  seen  a  ghost.  But  it  was  only  Chang, 
the  old  head  cook,  who  had  been  summoned  and 
doubtless  knew  why.  He  did  not  seem  any  too  anx 
ious  to  undertake  the  charge. 

He  laid  the  scarf  on  the  table  and  remarked 
"Burn  him."  Then  he  drew  out  of  his  pocket  some 
ripe  figs.  He  cut  a  segment  out  of  two  of  them, 
pressed  a  ring  into  the  soft  pulp,  and  then  somehow 
replaced  part  of  the  segments  so  that  the  figs  looked 


Navy  Versus  Army — The  Last  of  the  Ring     223 

natural,  though  a  little  soiled.  He  replaced  them 
in  his  pocket. 

"Wing  Wang  him  dead.  Good-by.  "Talk  no 
good." 

With  this  parting  word,  he  went  out,  as  noise 
lessly  as  he  had  come. 

"That's  what  you  might  call  sudden,"  I  said. 

"I'll  never  see  my  ring  again.  May  I  keep  the 
scarf,  Daddy?"  asked  Mary. 

"Chang  said  'burn  him/  and  burn  it  I  will,"  re 
plied  the  Doctor. 

So  we  wrapped  the  beautiful  silken  thing  in  a 
newspaper  and  burned  it  in  the  fireplace. 

"I  hope  the  prosaic  modern  newspaper  will  de 
stroy  the  ancient  magic  of  the  scarf,"  said  the  Doctor 
as  the  whole  vanished  in  flames  up  the  chimney. 

"May  we  never  hear  anything  more  of  ring  or 
society." 

"How  did  El  Lobo  die,  Daddy?"  Mary  asked. 

"They  told  me  at  the  hospital  that  he  was  poi 
soned — they  could  not  imagine  how.  And  how  that 
fellow  Wing  Wang,  with  his  smashed  body,  man 
aged  it  I  can't  tell  you  myself.  Any  more  than  I  can 
tell  you  why  I  promised  to  do  his  will.  I  believe  he 
must  have  been  a  remarkable  man.  They  will  prob 
ably  find  him  dead  of  the  same  poison  some  fine 
morning. 

"Now  good  night  all.  It's  late,  and  we  have  had 
a  long  day.  Mary  is  yawning  her  head  off." 

"I  am  not  sleepy  a  bit,"  said  Mary  indignantly; 
but  a  long  yawn  interrupted  her  denial. 

"It  has  been  a  great  day.    But  I  wish  Dave  could 


224  Mary  in  California 

have  seen  that  game.    I  don't  think  I  will  ever  for- 
get  it." 

"I  am  sorry  to  have  to  say  good-by  to  my  ring,'* 
was  Mary's  remark  as  she  went  upstairs.  "But, 
Mother,  do  you  think  I'll  ever  hear  from  Ensign 
Raymond?" 


CHAPTER  XVII 

MOVIES    AND   AN   AEROPLANE   IN    LOS   ANGELES 

/CHRISTMAS  in  California!  It  seemed  so 
^-^  strange  to  hear  the  bells  ringing  from  the  old 
mission  churches  and  receive  a  large  bouquet  of 
roses  instead  of  holly  wreaths.  We  expected  to  stay 
quietly  at  Mills  College  during  the  first  part  of  the 
holidays  at  any  rate.  But  the  Nortons  persuaded 
us  to  come  and  have  our  Christmas  in  Los  Angeles. 

Mary  and  her  father  were  to  leave  next  day  for 
winter  sports  in  the  Yosemite  Park.  They  were  to 
meet  Winifred  Ransome  and  a  dozen  girls  at  a  cer 
tain  little  branch  station  of  the  railroad,  and  then 
go  on  together,  while  Dave,  Trix,  and  I  stayed  for 
the  week  with  the  Nortons,  to  be  present  on  New 
Year's  Day  at  the  famous  Carnival  of  Roses  at 
Pasadena. 

Dave  was  greatly  disappointed  that  he,  too,  could 
not  join  the  Yosemite  party.  But  as  the  others  were 
all  much  older,  it  seemed  best  for  him  to  remain 
with  me. 

On  Christmas  Eve  we  drove  about  the  city  to  see 
the  gardens,  which  were  full  of  wonderful  flowers, 
and  then  we  visited  the  orange  groves.  It  did  not 
seem  at  all  like  the  twenty-fourth  of  December.  I 
think  -we  missed  the  snow  of  a  New  England 
Christmas. 

225 


226  Mary  In  California 

Dave  remarked,  "This  seems  like  the  description 
of  heaven  in  the  Bible,  but,  Mother,  I'd  sort  of  get 
tired  of  it  forever.  Won't  there  be  some  snow  in 
heaven,  don't  you  think?" 

That  evening  there  was  to  be  a  revival  of  a  Span 
ish  miracle  play  in  the  old  Pueblo  church,  the 
church  of  "Nuestra  Senora,  Renia  de  los  Angeles." 

"They  used  to  do  this  every  Christmas  in  some 
church  or  mission,"  Mr.  Norton  told  us,  "in  the  days 
when  the  padres  were  supreme." 

It  was  lovely  in  the  church,  where  there  can  still 
be  seen  the  crude  frescoes  done  by  the  Indians.  Be 
fore  the  quaint  altar  sat  a  saintly  looking  young 
virgin  with  a  real  little  baby  in  her  arms.  The  organ 
played  soft  music  which  must  have  soothed  the 
infant,  for  he  behaved  beautifully.  The  church  lights 
were  dimmed  except  those  nearest  the  group,  which 
threw  a  sort  of  halo  on  the  mother  and  child.  Then 
some  nice  shaggy  old  shepherds  came  to  chant  their 
praises.  These  were  followed  by  a  hermit  and  a 
soldier,  who  sat  and  played  at  dice  instead  of  wor 
shiping,  while  a  very  devilish  fiend  waited  to  seize 
their  souls. 

Fortunately  a  handsome  St.  Michael  in  full  armor 
interfered  at  the  right  moment.  He  drove  away  the 
fiend  and  led  the  two  sinners  to  the  Holy  Child, 
where  all  knelt  in  prayer  and  penitence,  and  a 
choir  of  angels  sang  the  Gloria  with  most  heavenly 
voices. 

Even  Trix  was  full  of  enthusiasm.  She  wished 
they  would  sing  again.  She  wanted  them  to  do  it 
all  again.  She  wished  she  could  stroke  the  babe. 


Movies  and  an  Aeroplane  in  Los  Angeles  227 

She  had  been  particularly  pleased  when  the  fiend 
made  faces  at  her. 

"I  don't  believe  he  did  it  at  her,"  said  Mary  scep 
tically. 

"But  he  did,  Mother,  didn't  he?"  Trix  assured  us. 

We  drove  home  through  the  starlit  night,  the  air 
soft  as  summer  and  full  of  the  fragrance  of  blossoms. 

The  day  after  Christmas  Mary  and  her  father 
left  us  early  for  their  trip  to  the  snow.  They  wore 
their  riding  things  and  had  borrowed  everything 
warm  that  could  be  had.  They  carried  skiis  and 
snowshoes  and  were  assured  that  sleds  and  tobog 
gans  could  be  hired  at  the  park  itself. 

Dave  had  been  very  good  about  staying  at  home, 
but  when  the  time  actually  came  he  was  silent  and 
noticeably  depressed. 

"Dave,"  remarked  Mrs.  Norton  as  we  drove  back 
from  the  station,  "Mr.  Norton  and  I  didn't  give  you 
any  real  Christmas  present.  We  had  a  notion  that 
maybe  you'd  like  something  a  little  different.  A 
friend  of  ours  is  going  to  take  a  little  flight  down 
south  to-day,  and  we  persuaded  him  to  take  a  pas 
senger.  How  would  you  like  that  for  a  Christmas 
surprise?" 

There  was  an  instantaneous  change  from  the  list 
less  boy  of  a  moment  before. 

"Oh,  Mrs.  Norton!    Mother,  may  I?" 

"Of  course  you  may,"  Mrs.  Norton  said.  "Your 
mother  would  never  have  the  heart  to  refuse.  And 
I  got  your  father's  consent  before  he  left." 

"Then  there  is  nothing  left  for  me  to  say,"  I  re 
marked. 


228  Mary  in  California 

"Let  us  proceed  at  once  to  the  field  of  honor," 
said  Mr.  Norton. 

We  drove  out  through  the  city  to  the  aero  field, 
where  we  saw  a  number  of  planes  out  practicing  and 
heard  the  buzzing  of  the  great  machines.  Dave's 
face  was  red  with  excitement,  and  he  could  hardly 
keep  in  the  auto. 

"Can't  I  go,  too?"  begged  Trix.  "I  know  you 
won't  let  me." 

"You  are  quite  right,"  I  replied.  "Dave  is  much 
older  than  you.  You  will  have  to  wait  for  a  few 
years." 

Finally  we  arrived  at  the  hangar  of  Mr.  Nor 
ton's  friend,  and  found  the  man  in  question  stand 
ing  beside  his  machine.  Mrs.  Norton  introduced 
us. 

"Jackson  is  a  good,  safe  driver,"  I  was  assured. 

Indeed  Mr.  Jackson  looked  it.  He  was  a  man 
under  thirty,  with  a  lean  strong  face,  and  steady  gray 
eyes. 

"This  is  my  one  son,  Mr.  Jackson,"  was  my  only 
remark. 

"And  she  prefers  him  as  he  is,  without  any  blem 
ishes,"  added  Mrs.  Norton.  "Dave  has  been  pes 
tering  the  life  out  of  us  about  aeroplanes.  Give  him 
a  dose,  but  don't  do  any  stunts." 

"I  never  do,  with  passengers,"  was  the  reply. 

Then  Dave  was  swathed  in  sweaters  and  rugs. 

"Good-by,  Mother,"  he  called,  after  he  had  given 
me  a  good  hug.  Then  he  got  into  the  machine,  and 
Mr.  Jackson  followed. 

The  machinist  shoved  the  great  aeroplane,  and 


Movies  and  an  Aeroplane  in  Los  Angeles  229 

presently  with  whirring  propeller,  the  creature 
started,  faster  and  faster,  until  it  rose  in  the  air. 

Dave  was  a  dot  in  the  distance. 

"Well,  we  might  as  well  take  a  drive,  for  Jackson 
will  be  gone  for  a  couple  of  hours,"  said  Mrs.  Nor 
ton.  "He  has  to  run  down,  or  fly  down,  to  Palm 
Springs." 

"But  that  is  miles  away,  isn't  it?  It  sounds  as  if 
it  were." 

"It's  only  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles. 
That's  nothing  in  a  plane,"  Mr.  Norton  answered. 

"It  seems  quite  far  to  a  staid  old  New  Englander," 
I  said. 

"How  would  you  like  to  run  over  to  Hollywood, 
where  they  take  a  lot  of  the  movies?"  Mrs.  Norton 
suggested. 

Trix  exclaimed  with  pleasure,  so  we  started  off, 
while  I  hastened  to  explain  that  Trix  had  only  wit 
nessed  half  a  dozen  movie  shows  in  her  life. 

"Of  course  she's  much  too  young,"  I  added. 
"Even  the  special  children's  performances  don't 
really  amuse  her  as  much  as  she  thinks  they  will.  I 
wish  they  had  more  films  with  just  fairy  stories  or 
nature  pictures,  the  way  they  do  in  Germany,  I  am 
told." 

"We  may  come  to  it  some  day,"  said  Mrs.  Norton. 

We  found  the  big  studios  and  scenes  most  inter 
esting,  and  had  our  pictures  taken  on  the  spot  that 
was  usually  occupied  by  Tom  Mix  and  his  circus 
parties. 

"Mary  ought  to  be  here,"  said  Mrs.  Norton. 
"I'll  wager  she  loves  the  movies." 


230  Mary  in  California 

"I  can't  deny  it,"  was  my  answer. 

They  happened  to  be  staging  a  comedy  with  the 
usual  exciting  scenes,  people  falling  out  of  windows 
and  landing  in  pools  of  water,  china  flung  about  reck 
lessly,  and  finally  a  real  pig  was  introduced,  which 
pleased  Trix  greatly. 

They  took  six  reels  of  two  small  children  in  the 
process  of  dressing.  The  youngsters  were  about  two 
years  old,  and  were  extremely  funny  as  they  played 
and  put  on  their  clothes  alternately.  Occasionally 
one  of  them  would  lose  his  balance  over  a  button 
and  tumble  down.  This  worried  Trix,  and  suddenly, 
before  I  could  stop  her,  she  ran  onto  the  stage  and 
tried  to  help  the  little  boy  to  button  his  shoe. 

I  was  filled  with  consternation,  and  called  to  Trix 
to  come  back  instantly,  which  she  did.  We  apolo 
gized  to  the  manager,  a  big,  genial  Irishman. 

"It  was  a  bit  unexpected  loik,"  was  his  comment. 
"But  she's  got  a  real  Irish  head  of  hair  on  her,  and 
she  will  just  add  a  touch  to  the  picture." 

"Do  you  mean  I'm  in  the  picture?"  gasped  Trix. 

"Bedad,  yes,"  was  the  answer.  "And  a  foin  ac 
tress  you'll  be.  You'll  be  sure  to  see  the  film  when  it 
comes  on  the  stage,  young  lady." 

Then  he  gravely  shook  hands  with  Trix,  leaving 
us  rather  breathless. 

"You  certainly  are  up  to  everything,  Trix,"  said 
Mrs.  Norton.  "I  should  think  your  mother's  eyes 
would  be  worn  out  looking  after  you  and  her  slipper 
in  frazzles  from  spanking  you!" 

"I  didn't  mean  to  do  anything  naughty,  Mother," 
pleaded  Trix.  "I  just  wanted  to  help  the  little  boy." 


Movies  and  an  Aeroplane  in  Los  Angeles  231 

"And  quite  right,  too,"  said  Mrs.  Norton.  "He 
looked  like  a  stupid  child,  who  couldn't  dress  himself 
properly  without  tumbling  all  over  himself." 

"May  I  go  and  see  it,  Mother?"  asked  Trix. 
"Will  I  really  be  in  the  picture?" 

"You  will  indeed.  Let  us  not  tell  your  father, 
and  take  him  to  see  it  some  time.  Wouldn't  it  be  a 
lark?  But  I  don't  believe  that  either  of  us  could 
keep  the  secret  from  him  as  long  as  that." 

Up  in  the  hills  was  an  open  air  theater  where  many 
performances  are  given  each  year  of  the  Pilgrimage 
Play,  scenes  from  the  Life  of  Christ. 

"Thousands  come  to  see  it,"  Mr.  Norton  told  us. 
"I  wish  you  had  been  able  to  go  when  you  were  here 
in  September.  It  really  is  most  impressive  and 
beautiful." 

After  a  while  we  drove  leisurely  back  to  get  Dave. 
But  we  had  to  wait  for  some  time  before  he  returned, 
and  meanwhile  Trix  and  Mr.  Norton  went  into  sev 
eral  hangars  and  she  climbed  into  a  stationary  aero 
plane,  saying  that  it  was  almost  as  much  as  Dave  had 
done. 

At  last  came  the  whirring  sound  overhead,  and 
presently  the  huge  birdlike  creature  slowly  descended 
and  brought  back  to  earth  a  much  excited  boy.  He 
found  it  a  little  hard  to  get  his  balance  on  the  solid 
earth,  but  his  tongue  seemed  to  have  been  wound 
up  by  the  rapid  motion. 

"Mother,  it  was  wonderful.  I  wasn't  scared,  was 
I,  Mr.  Jackson?  Only  just  at  first.  I  felt  sort  of 
seasick,  like  going  upside  down  in  a  hammock.  But 
I  loved  it.  I'm  going  to  have  one  some  day.  Mr. 


232  Mary  in  California 

Jackson  told  me  how  to  work  'em.  Mother,  it  was 
great  at  Palm  Springs.  They  were  making  some 
pictures  of  desert  scenes,  you  know,  for  the  movies. 
They  had  a  charge  of  Arabs  on  camels  that  was 
great.  Only  they  went  sort  of  slow.  I  guess  they'll 
run  it  through  quicker.  There  were  lots  of  cactuses 
there.  And  we  saw  orange  groves,  millions  of  them, 
and  walnut  trees  on  the  way.  And  we  saw  the  snow 
peaks  and  the  ocean  on  the  other  side."  Dave 
paused  for  breath. 

"I  was  taken  in  a  movie  picture,"  said  Trix  calmly. 

"Aw,  now,  Mother,  that  isn't  true,"  commented 
Dave. 

"Yes,  it  is  true.  But  Trix,  I  thought  we  were 
going  to  keep  it  a  secret.  How  did  the  earth  look, 
Dave,  from  an  aeroplane?  How  did  you  feel?" 

"It  looked  like  it  does  from  the  top  of  a  big  high 
mountain,  only  it  wobbled.  It  seemed  to  sort  of 
move  up  and  down,  as  it  does  when  you're  seasick. 
It  was  cold,  too,  and  the  sun  was  bright  enough  to 
hurt  your  eyes.  We  went  so  fast,  Mother.  It  was 
bully.  Trains  and  autos  will  seem  awful  slow." 

"Did  he  behave  all  right,  Jackson?"  asked  Mr. 
Norton. 

"Did  he  want  to  run  it  for  you?"  demanded  Mrs. 
Norton. 

The  aviator  laughed.  "Dave's  all  right,"  he  re 
plied.  "He's  going  again  with  me  some  time.  He'll 
make  an  airman  if  he  works  hard  enough.  He 
seems  to  have  a  natural  taste  for  machinery  and 
going  fast." 

"It  certainly  was  good  of  you  to  take  him.    I  can't 


Movies  and  an  Aeroplane  in  Los  Angeles  233 

thank  you  enough  for  giving  him  so  much  pleasure," 
I  said.  "Have  you  thanked  Mr.  Jackson,  Dave?" 

"He  surely  did.  It  was  just  a  pleasure  anyway, 
and  no  trouble,  as  I  was  out  on  business." 

We  shook  hands,  and  then  Dave  got  into  the  auto, 
with  evident  reluctance.  He  hated  to  leave  the  aero 
plane. 

"Hurry  up,  Dave,  you  can't  take  it  with  you," 
laughed  Mrs.  Norton.  "Bless  the  boy,  he's  in 
satiable." 

We  received  several  postals  from  Mary  and  her 
father.  They  were  having  a  perfect  time,  they 
wrote. 

"Yesterday  several  feet  of  snow  fell,"  the  Doc 
tor's  card  said.  "It's  funny  not  to  measure  by  inches. 
Dave  would  be  satisfied." 

"I  am,"  observed  Dave,  who  was  curled  up  in  a 
chair  on  the  porch  reading  "The  Aero  Service  in  the 
Great  War." 

"You  ought  to  see  the  snow  men  we  built,"  came 
on  a  postal  from  Mary.  "We  sat  them  on  sleds  and 
pulled  them  around.  There  are  some  real  artists 
at  it  here.  My,  it's  cold,  though." 

Dave  sipped  luxuriously  at  a  long  glass  of  grape 
juice  and  smiled  in  a  superior  fashion. 

"We  climbed  into  a  crevasse,"  wrote  the  Doctor 
on  their  next  to  last  day.  "It  was  very  narrow  and 
slippery,  and  we  could  hardly  get  through.  It  was 
pretty  exciting  because  a  fall  would  be  fatal.  The 
blue-green  ice  cave,  like  water  solidified,  is  marvel 
ous.  Tell  Trix  we  had  a  great  snowball  fight  yes 
terday.  Ten  against  ten  and  no  quarter  given. 


234  Mary  in  California 

Several  got  their  faces  well  rubbed  into  the  soft 


snow." 


"It  doesn't  seem  possible  that  they  are  only  eight 
or  ten  hours  away,"  I  said.  "With  these  lovely 
flowers  here." 

"We  get  snow  and  ice  sports  much  nearer  than 
that,"  answered  Mrs.  Norton.  "Just  a  two  hours' 
ride  up  into  the  mountains  close  beside  us !  A  party 
went  up  yesterday  for  a  night's  sport.  But  of  course 
you  don't  have  the  wonderful  scenery  here.  I  don't 
think  there  is  anything  to  compare  with  the  Yosem- 
ite  in  winter,  or  summer  either  for  that  matter.  You 
have  the  Grand  Canon  and  Niagara  Falls  and  Swit 
zerland  all  combined,  and  the  great  trees  thrown  in 
for  good  luck.  At  one  big  camp,  they  always  light  a 
bonfire  and  drop  it  from  the  immense  height  of 
Glacier  Point  just  before  retiring,  which  means 
'lights  out.'  I  wonder  if  your  people  will  see  bears. 
They  used  to  be  quite  tame." 

Her  question  was  answered  by  Mary's  last  letter. 

"I  haven't  time  to  write,  but  I  must  tell  Trix 
about  the  bears.  We  were  hanging  around  the 
kitchen  early  in  the  morning,  having  had  a  sunrise 
party  up  the  valley.  There  was  a  smell  of  bacon 
cooking  and  it  certainly  smelled  good!  All  of  a 
sudden  I  looked  around,  thinking  I  heard  footsteps, 
and  there  was  a  great  huge  bear.  I  yelled  and  rushed 
toward  the  house.  A  man  poked  his  head  out  of 
the  door  and  called  to  me,  'Don't  scare  that  bear, 
little  girl.  He  comes  for  his  breakfast  every  morn 
ing  afore  you're  up!" 

"The  bear  went  right  past  Dad  and  began  rooting 


Movies  and  an  Aeroplane  in  Los  Angeles  235 

around  and  knocking  over  garbage  pails.  I  watched 
him  from  the  window.  I  guess  he  wanted  bacon  as 
much  as  we  did. 

"They  told  us  afterward  that  when  there's  been 
a  heavy  snowfall,  all  the  animals  come  around  when 
they  smell  food,  and  that  the  bears  are  most  indiffer 
ent  to  people.  Sometimes  they  take  food  out  of  the 
camps.  They  seem  to  me  pretty  big  for  pets." 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

A  FAREWELL  GIFT  FROM  CHINA 

CO  while  Mary  and  her  father  were  skiing  or  slid- 
^  ing  under  the  shadows  of  El  Capitan,  the  mighty 
guardian  of  the  gates  to  the  Yosemite  paradise,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Norton,  Dave,  Trix,  and  I  started  for 
the  Tournament  of  Roses  in  Pasadena.  Beautiful 
Pasadena!  It  might  be  called  spotless  town. 
Bushes  were  pruned,  lawns  were  cut,  and  the  palms  in 
the  street  gave  the  city  an  appearance  as  of  a  huge 
formal  garden,  made  by  some  Aladdin  overnight. 
There  were  flowers  everywhere — roses,  of  course. 
Pink  and  white  and  crimson  and  yellow,  they  seemed 
to  be  growing  on  the  streets,  in  the  windows,  in  the 
gardens,  over  the  house,  a  veritable  fairyland. 

There  were  other  flowers,  too,  the  deep  purple 
of  the  violets  blending  with  the  softer  colors.  The 
air  was  full  of  the  softest  fragrance  as  if  one  stood 
under  a  lilac  bush  in  full  bloom.  There  was  a  great 
procession  of  carriages  and  autos  and  floats,  all 
decorated  with  garlands  of  flowers,  as  in  the  East  we 
would  decorate  with  bunting  and  flags. 

We  sat  in  the  Nortons'  auto  and  watched  the 
floats  passing,  great  barges  of  symbolic  figures,  or 
full  of  charming  fairylike  creatures,  embedded  in 
flowers. 

"This  simply  can't  be  the  first  of  January,"  I 
236 


A  Farewell  Gift  from  China  237 

said.  "I  won't  believe  that  flowers  can  grow  like 
this,  even  in  California." 

"But,  Mother,  I  saw  fields  and  fields  of  them  from 
the  aeroplane,  just  like  colored  squares  in  a  checker 
board,"  Dave  answered. 

"Oh,  yes,  I  have  seen  them,  too,  from  the  auto, 
but  I  can't  believe  it  all  the  same." 

"Just  as  I  can't  believe  that  I  really  went  up  in 
the  machine,"  murmured  Dave. 

The  different  schools  and  city  organizations  repre 
sented,  hotels  and  newspapers — all  vied  with  each 
other  in  friendly  competition  to  see  who  could  pro 
duce  the  most  beautiful  effect.  There  was  a  Dutch 
windmill  of  flowers,  drawn  by  three  perfect  horses; 
there  was  an  Indian  scene;  there  was  a  flower- 
formed  Viking  ship  with  a  jolly  crew  of  schoolgirls; 
and  a  gaily  decorated  auto  belonging  to  one  of  the 
colleges  carried  a  huge  football  of  flowers.  Horses, 
too,  were  not  lacking,  and  Dave  called  my  attention 
to  then-  long  flowing  tails. 

"It  is  so  much  prettier,"  he  said,  "than  the  horrid 
short  tails  we'd  be  likely  to  see  in  an  eastern  parade, 
unless  they  were  cavalry  horses." 

The  animals  also  were  garlanded  with  flowers, 
and  Trix  was  delighted  with  a  fine  fat  pony  which 
looked  like  an  animated  flower  garden. 

One  float  representing  East  and  West,  and  con 
taining  a  delightfully  flowery  snow  man  with  a  pipe 
in  his  mouth,  caused  Trixy  to  cry  out  "That's  just 
like  the  man  we  made  last  winter,"  much  to  the  pleas 
ure  of  the  other  bystanders. 

After  the  procession  there  were  games;  a  chariot 


238  Mary  in  California 

race  and  a  football  game.  Enormous  crowds 
watched  them,  gathered  from  every  quarter  of  the 
world,  I  think.  I  know  there  were  Chinese  and 
Italians  and  Spanish  and  Mexicans,  and  I  heard  an 
unmistakable  voice  from  Maine  observe,  "Godfrey 
scissors,  them  hosses  certainly  can  run."  It  was  a 
joyous  America  that  we  were  watching  at  play.  It 
seemed  like  a  foreign  land  more  than  our  own  be 
loved  country. 

Dave  and  his  father  and  Mrs.  Norton  stayed  to 
see  the  "East  and  West"  football  game  which  has 
grown  to  be  one  of  the  features  of  the  Festival  of 
Roses.  Meanwhile,  Mr.  Norton  took  Trix  and  me 
for  a  little  run  in  the  car,  out  to  the  wonderful  dam 
at  the  Devil's  Gate,  that  great  and  beautiful  feat  of 
engineering  which  stores  up  the  water  for  the  city. 
Surely  since  the  days  of  the  Roman  aqueducts 
nothing  has  been  more  graceful  and  impressive  than 
this  dam  and  the  winding  Colorado  street  bridge 
over  the  Arroyo  Seco. 

Mr.  Norton's  nephew  and  his  wife  came  in  for 
supper  that  night,  and  we  told  them  of  our  many 
adventures  and  how  we  had  finally  given  up  the 
ring. 

uBy  the  way,"  I  said,  "isn't  your  cook  here?  He 
was  the  one  who  was  to  get  the  rings.  I  wonder  if 
he  ever  did  receive  them." 

"I  imagine  so,"  answered  Mr.  Norton.  "He 
seems  perfectly  normal,  so  they  have  not  hurt  him 
any  as  yet." 

"You'd  better  look  out  for  squalls,"  Dave  re 
marked.  "I  hope  they  are  not  in  the  house." 


A  Farewell  Gift  from  China  239 

uWu  Fang  always  goes  home  to  sleep.  He  prob 
ably  keeps  them  there, "  replied  Mr.  Norton.  "It  is 
too  bad  that  Mary  had  to  lose  her  treasure." 

"Wing  Wang  promised  to  give  her  something  else 
in  return,"  Dave  observed.  "I  guess  she'll  get  some 
thing." 

"In  the  meantime  I  am  very  glad  to  have  seen  the 
last  of  the  ring,"  I  said.  "And  Wing  Wang  and 
El  Lobo,  I  trust  they  will  rest  in  peace  and  not  come 
and  haunt  us.  For  we  obeyed  orders." 

We  sat  through  the  evening  planning  for  future 
meetings  in  the  East.  We  were  to  leave  Mills  so 
soon  that  it  seemed  unlikely  that  we  would  meet 
again  in  the  West.  It  was  hard  to  think  of  leaving 
so  many  good  friends.  » 

We  had  to  be  up  early  in  the  morning  to  get  our 
train  for  San  Francisco.  But  early  as  we  were,  we 
found  Wu  Fang  waiting  for  us.  He  had  been  a 
silent,  efficient  worker,  so  that  I  was  surprised  when 
he  addressed  me. 

"Lil  gal  not  come  back  here?" 

"No,  Wu  Fang,  she  and  the  Doctor  will  join  us 
in  San  Francisco." 

"Lil  box  for  her,"  he  observed,  and  took  from 
the  inside  of  his  waiter's  white  coat  a  tiny  Chinese 
box  of  exquisite  workmanship. 

"Carry  him  safe?"  he  asked,  evidently  mistrust 
ing  my  powers. 

"I  think  I  can,  if  nobody  tries  to  rob  me." 

"Make  HI  gal  safe  everywhere,"  he  said,  and 
promptly  went  about  his  business  of  serving  break 
fast. 


240  Mary  in  California 

The  box  was  not  locked  in  any  way,  but  I  wrapped 
it  carefully  in  paper  and  put  it  in  my  handbag  with 
my  purse. 

"I  am  sure  to  watch  both  now,"  I  thought. 

I  did  not  tell  Dave  and  Trix,  for  I  knew  they 
would  give  me  no  rest  until  I  had  opened  the  box  and 
discovered  its  contents.  My  own  curiosity  was  hard 
enough  to  restrain.  I  could  not  have  stood  theirs. 

We  bade  friendly  farewell  to  our  good  friends  at 
the  station.  We  certainly  were  sorry  to  part  from 
them. 

"Maybe  you  will  come  back  in  an  aeroplane, 
Dave,"  Mrs.  Norton  said  at  the  last,  and  then 
we  got  into  the  train  that  was  to  carry  us  back  to 
Oakland. 

It  was  a  long  day,  and  the  little  box  fairly  burned 
in  my  bag,  as  the  saying  is.  I  think  I  must  have 
looked  at  it  a  hundred  times  to  be  sure  that  it  was 
safe-,  and  I  was  certainly  glad  when  the  train  came 
to  a  final  stop  and  the  Doctor's  tall  figure  was  visible 
on  the  platform,  with  Mary  beside  him.  It  was  dark 
and  I  was  glad  of  the  taxi  that  whirled  us  away  to 
Mills  and  the  pleasant  house  that  seemed  so  much  like 
home. 

Mary  was  full  of  her  adventures  in  the  Yosemite 
— the  glorious  frozen  waterfalls,  the  great  drifts  and 
caves  of  snow,  the  glaciers,  the  ice  caves  and  El 
Capitan,  rising  sheer  out  of  the  valley.  They  had 
climbed  and  skiied  and  tobogganed  and  snowshoed, 
and  they  were  tired  and  sunburned  from  exposure 
to  the  burning  sun  and  the  icy  winds.  Trix  and  Dave 
were  sunburned  from  quite  a  different  reason,  and 


A  Farewell  Gift  from  China  241 

told  of  the  events  in  which  they  had  taken  part,  the 
Rose  festival,  the  aeroplane  trip  to  the  desert,  the 
moving  pictures.  Between  them  there  was  not  a 
chance  for  the  Doctor  and  me  to  get  in  a  word. 

Finally,  after  supper,  which  was  a  wonderful  feast 
that  Maria  had  prepared,  I  declared,  "If  you  chil 
dren  will  keep  still  for  one  minute,  I  have  something 
for  Mary  which  may  interest  her." 

Instantly  there  was  a  hush.  Then  I  drew  from 
my  bag  the  little  carved  sandalwood  box  and  handed 
it  to  Mary. 

uWu  Fang  sent  it  to  the  'lil  gal,'  "  I  said.  "It 
will  always  make  her  safe." 

Mary  opened  it  with  fingers  that  fairly  trembled 
with  eagerness.  Inside  was  something  wrapped  in 
the  finest  of  rice  papers.  The  strange  perfume  of 
the  East  seemed  to  come  from  it  and  breathed  ro 
mance  and  danger. 

Mary  opened  the  paper — and,  "Oh,  Mother! 
Oh,  Daddy!"  she  cried. 

Inside  was  a  single  jewel,  an  opal,  which  appeared 
to  throw  out  fire  from  its  quaint  silver  setting. 

"What  is  it!  what  is  it?"  exclaimed  Trix. 

"Isn't  it  pretty!"  said  Dave.  "But  I'd  rather 
have  the  ring." 

"That's  one  of  the  most  beautiful  stones  I  have 
ever  seen,"  said  the  Doctor.  "It  isn't  very  large, 
but  a  perfect  fire  opal.  It  must  be  worth  a  lot  of 
money.  I  wonder  what  royal  treasury  or  temple 
loot  it  came  from." 

"Ought  Mary  to  keep  it?"  was  my  question. 

"I  don't  know  to  whom  she  could  return  it.     But 


242  Mary  in  California 

I  think  it  is  too  valuable  for  her  to  wear  all  the  time. 
It  must  be  put  away  for  safe-keeping  and  made  into 
a  pendant  or  a  ring  when  she  is  older." 

"It  would  be  terrible  to  lose  it,"  said  Mary.  "I 
never  saw  anything  so  beautiful.  May  I  show  it  to 
Winifred?"  ' 

"To-morrow,  but  not  to-night.  Well,  Wing  Wang 
kept  his  word.  He  had  that  in  his  favor.  Some 
how,  I  have  a  sort  of  uncanny  feeling  that  his  will 
still  exists  and  that  he  will  watch  over  the  stone." 

"Don't  be  so  spooky,  Dad,"  answered  Mary.  "I 
surely  am  glad  we  came  to  California.  This  opal 
is  worth  all  the  rings  in  creation.  Now  I  am  ready 
to  start  for  home." 

"But  it  is  hard  to  say  good-by  to  all  our  good 
friends,"  I  said. 

"We  can  only  hope  to  lure  them  to  the  East  some 
time." 

"Can't  we  take  Maria  and  the  bonies?"  asked 
Trix. 

"I  am  sure  I  wish  we  could,"  I  answered.  "But 
I'm  afraid  she  would  be  hard  to  move,  and  the 
'bonies'  belong  to  the  house." 

"We  have  had  a  great  time,"  said  the  Doctor. 
"I  wonder  if  the  opal  will  lead  us  a  dance  like  the 
ring?  I  don't  believe  it.  I  think  hereafter  we  can 
enjoy  a  peaceful  existence." 

"That  would  be  so  stupid,"  answered  Mary. 


